Programmable iodization/deuterolysis sequences of phosphonium ylides to access deuterated benzyl iodides and aromatic aldehydes.

Herein, a tunable iodization/deuterolysis protocol for phosphonium ylides by employing D ₂ O as the deuterium source was designed. Notably, this process could be manipulated by tuning the base, thus leading to two valuable deuterated building blocks - benzyl iodides and aromatic aldehydes with broad substrate scope, good functional group compatibility and excellent deuteration degree. Concise syntheses of a series of deuterated drug analogues have been achieved based on the developed deuteration reaction platform.