Desulfonation All steps are reversible,so sulfonic acid group can be removed by heating in dilute sulfuric acid. This process is used to place deuterium in place of hydrogen on benzene ring. H large excess D2S04/D20. => H Chapter 17 Benzene-d6 10 Chapter 17 10 Desulfonation • All steps are reversible, so sulfonic acid group can be removed by heating in dilute sulfuric acid. • This process is used to place deuterium in place of hydrogen on benzene ring. Benzene-d6 => D D D D D D D2SO4/D2O large excess H H H H H H