Site-selective D2O-mediated deuteration of diaryl alcohols via quantum dots photocatalysis.

Owing to the high synthetic value of deuteration in the pharmaceutical industry, we describe herein the conversion of a range of aromatic ketones to deuterium-labeled products in good to excellent yields. Efficient and site-selective deuteration of benzyl alcohols by D2O with visible light irradiation of quantum dots (QDs), together with gram-scale synthesis and photocatalyst recycling experiments indicated the potential of the developed method in practical organic synthesis.