Isotopic exchange of D, has been determined in mixtures of dimethyl sulfoxide and water under catalysis by hydroxide ion. The rate of exchange increases by ca. lo4 as the medium composition is changed from 0% DMSO to 99.6% DMSO at 65 "C. The unusually low sensitivity to medium basicity is reflected in abnormally low slope values for the plots of log k,,, us. H-or J -. When [Me4NOH] is varied at a given medium composition, the apparent order with respect to [Me4NOH] is greater than unity.These results are discussed in terms of (1) rate determining proton transfer from D, to OH-with formation of hydride ion; (2)