Catalytic Reduction of Unsaturated C-C Bonds
Alkene and alkyne derivatives can be reduced in the presence of tritium gas with appropriate catalysts. The most common catalyst for this purpose is Pd on charcoal (Pd/C) but there is a wide variety of different heterogeneous catalysts known, and depending on your project the appropriate choice will be made. This method leads to products with high specific activities since at least two tritium atoms are introduced. Additional incorporation of tritium atoms might occur by H/T exchange in allylic and benzylic positions, resulting in an even higher specific activity than expected.
