Intramolecular H/D Exchange of Ethanol Catalyzed by Acidic OH Groups on H-ZSM-5 Zeolite.

IR observation of ethanol adsorption clarified the presence of the apparent intramolecular isotope exchange from CD3CH2OH to CHD2CH2OD on acidic OH groups of H-ZSM-5 zeolite. This reaction did not proceed with CD3OH nor CH3CD2OH, implying that the ß-hydrogen of alcohol had interaction with the lattice oxygen adjacent to Al and that the reaction was mediated by isotope exchange of CD3 groups of ethanol and OH groups on zeolite.