Mechanism of the Mitsunobu Reaction: An Ongoing Mystery

Abstract

The Mitsunobu reaction is one the most widely known reactions in the organic chemistry canon. Despite its fame, some aspects of the mechanism remain poorly understood, 55 years after its initial discovery. This short review collates the findings of several publications focused on the mechanism of the Mitsunobu reaction, highlighting both the current state of knowledge and the remaining missing pieces.

1 Introduction

2 Mechanism Overview

3 Mechanistic Investigations

4 Conclusion

Key words

Mitsunobu - mechanism - phosphine - alcohol - diazodicarboxylate

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