The Mitsunobu reaction

The Mitsunobu reaction is a reaction which converts an alcohol into different functional groups, such as an ester, using triphenylphosphine and an azodicarboxylate such as diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) or diisopropyl azodicarboxylate (DIAD).

The alcohol undergoes an inversion of stereochemistry. It was discovered by Oyo Mitsunobu.

-->Mitsunobu_Reaction.pdf  

for more informations about the reaction and some somments about the mechanism just follow the link, it will open a pdf dropbox file.