Selective catalytic deuteration of phosphorus ligands using ruthenium nanoparticles: a new approach to gain information on ligand coordination

Phenyl rings in phenyl-or phenyl-alkylphosphines are selectively deuterated at the ortho position using Ru/PVP nanoparticles, while are fully reduced in the case of arylphosphine oxide derivatives and do not react in the case of arylphosphite. This different behavior provides information about the coordination mode of each ligand.