The exchange reaction of hydrogen between acetylene, or molecular hydrogen, and the EDA complexes of sodium with aromatic hydrocarbons and cyanosubstituted compounds has been studied. The hydrogen exchange reaction with acetylene proceeds via the bonded hydrogen in the acceptor molecules and the rate is correlated with densities of unpaired electron in the anion radicals of acceptors in the EDA complexes. The H₂—D₂ exchange reaction over the EDA complexes proceeds via two different mechanisms; one involves bonded hydrogen, the other involves hydrogen chemisorbed on the EDA complexes. The rate and the activation energy for the two mechanisms were separately measured.

The isomerization of butene over the EDA complexes was also studied. The isomerization of cis-2-butene proceeded rapidly to trans-2-butene and 1-butene over the complexes where the chemisorption of hydrogen takes place. Over the complexes where no H₂—D₂ exchange reaction takes place, the isomerization of cis-2-butene proceeded only to trans-2-butene and not to 1-butene.