Decarboxylative Deuteroalkylation of Olefins: A Strategy for Synthesis of Deuterium-Labeled Molecules

Herein, we report a regioselective decarboxylative deuteroalkylation of olefins. This protocol enables the previously unexplored functionalization of 2-vinylpyridine with redox-active esters (RAEs) employing zinc powder as the reductant, thereby addressing the limitations of prior approaches. The protocol tolerates a wide range of functional groups and complex natural product derivatives. Collectively, the diversification and synthetic versatility of deuterium-labeled drug molecules, particularly through site-specific deuteration, constitute a well-established and effective strategy in modern organic synthesis and drug discovery.