Treatment of (η5-X-substituted-cyclohexadienyl)tricarbonylmanganese complexes (X = alkoxy, halogeno, dimethylamino and thio) with hydrides and a proton source gave η5-cyclohexadienyl complexes resulting from a cleavage of the C−O, C−Cl, C−N and C−S bonds:  The η3-substituted cyclohexenyl intermediates underwent elimination of an agostic hydrogen and the alkoxy, halogeno, amino, or thio group.

Several easy preparative scale (0.5-1.5 g) syntheses of deuterium labelled caffeine, theophylline and theobromine are described. Some new selective syntheses of theophylline and theobromine have been developed. Labelled xanthines are of great interest in qualitative or quantitative isotope dilution-mass spectrometry, coupled with gas or liquid chromatography, currently performed in anti-doping and forensic laboratories.

Easy preparative scale syntheses of deuterium labelled atropine and scopolamine are described. [ 2 H 3 ]-atropine and [ 2 H 3 ]-scopolamine are obtained in good yield and good isotopic purity in two steps starting from the unlabelled alkaloids.