Chemistry Letters, Vol.37, No.10, 1072-1073, 2008
Stereospecific Synthesis of sec- and tert-Alkyl Azides from Alcohols and Trimethylsilyl Azide by a New Type of Oxidation-Reduction Condensation Using Phenyl Diphenylphosphinite and Trimethylsilylmethyl Azide
A novel method for the preparation of alkyl azides from alcohols and trimethylsilyl azide by a new type of oxidation-reduction condensation using phenyl diphenylphosphinite and trimethylsilylmethyl azide is described. Chiral secondary and tertiary alcohols are converted into the corresponding chiral azides with almost complete inversion of configuration under mild and neutral conditions.