New reagents that resolve the problem of separating products from the numerous byproducts in theMitsunobu reaction have been introduced. Substitution of a basic triarylphosphine and an acid labile azodicarboxylate for triphenylphosphine and diethy azodicarboxylate provide an improved procedure allowing for facile isolation of desired products in good yields and excellent purity.
[Yokoyama, Tadashi; Kutsumura, Noriki; Ohgiya, Tadaaki; Nishiyama, Shigeru Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan, 2007 , vol. 80, # 3 p. 578 - 582]