Process for the preparation of deuterated ethanol from D2

A process for the preparation of a deuterated ethanol of the formula (I)

• CR1R2R3CR4R5OD (I)
• comprising:
• reacting compound (II) with D2 in the presence of a catalyst of formula (IV):
• wherein:
• R1-R5 are independently H or D, provided that the abundance of D in R4 and R5 is at least 80% and the abundance of D in R1-R3 is at most 50%;
• each R15 is independently selected from:
• a hydrogen atom, a C1-10 alkyl group, a substituted C1-10 alkyl group, a C6-18 aromatic ring group, and a substituted C6-18 aromatic ring group;
• each Ar is independently selected from a C6-18 aromatic ring group and a substituted C6-18 aromatic ring group;
• each n is independently selected from an integer of 1 or 2;
• compound (II) is an acetate;
• L is a ligand;
• and,
• X is a counterion.