DEUTERIUM-ISOTOPE EXCHANGE-REACTION BETWEEN HYDROGEN AND WATER OVER POLYESTER-SUPPORTED PLATINUM CATALYSTS

Deuterium transfer between hydrogen and water over polyester-supported platinum has been found to follow a two-step process, namely, an initial fast step followed by a slower one. The faster exchange step was more susceptible to water poisoning while the other step continued to be active for H/D exchange reaction during prolonged contact with liquid water. The results are in agreement with the existence of heterogeneous metal sites with varying degrees of catalytic activity and support the mechanism whereby the chemisorption of both the water and hydrogen molecules at metal sites leads to the deuterium exchange process. © 1990.