Synthetic use of the primary kinetic isotope effect in hydrogen atom transfer: generation of α-aminoalkyl radicals.

The extent to which deuterium can act as a protecting group to prevent unwanted 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer to aryl and vinyl radical intermediates was examined in the context of the generation of α-aminoalkyl radicals in a pyrrolidine ring. Intra- and intermolecular radical trapping following hydrogen atom transfer provides an illustration of the use of the primary kinetic isotope effect in directing the outcome of synthetic C-C bond-forming processes.