Mechanistic studies of the reactions of 2-methylpropene with deuterium over supported metal catalysts

Deuterium NMR spectroscopy, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry have been used to examine the products from the reaction of 2-methylpropene with deuterium over supported metal catalysts. The detailed information, so obtained, about the number, location and grouping of deuterium atoms in both the exchanged alkenes and the 2-methylpropanes formed by addition provided evidence about possible mechanisms. With palladium, exchange was faster than addition and the deuterium atoms were randomly distributed in the alkene, probably through a π-allyl dissociative mechanism. With platinum and rhodium, exchange occurred preferentially in the methylene groups of the alkene and the results indicated a dissociative mechanism involving adsorbed vinyl intermediates together with some intramolecular double-bond movement through a π-allyl type of species. Relatively little exchange occurred with iridium. (author)