The Mitsunobu coupling is among an elite group within a vast array of name reactions. 1 It is used so frequently that oftentimes literature reviews, 2 as well as its origins, 3 are excluded from among the citations. These reactions rely on an initial adduct 1 formed between Ph 3 P and an azodicarboxylate, with the diethyl derivative (ie, DEAD; Figure 1) credited with the majority of reported examples. 2 The diisopropyl ester (DIAD) is also very commonly utilized. 2 ...
[Rivero-Cruz, Blanca; Rivero-Cruz, Isabel; Rodriguez, Juan M.; Cerda-Garcia-Rojas, Carlos M.; Mata, Rachel Journal of Natural Products, 2006 , vol. 69, # 8 p. 1172 - 1176]