Dopran Diethyl Azodicarboxylate 99 %, CAS No. : 1972-28-7, Einecs No. : 217-821-7

Our Halloween 2012 series begins with a molecule that has the acronym DEAD. It stands for diethyl azodicarboxylate, an orange–red liquid that becomes yellow when diluted in a solvent. DEAD is a strong electron acceptor; it oxidizes iodide to molecular iodine, hydrazine to molecular nitrogen, alcohols to aldehydes, and thiols to disulfides. DEAD’s principal use is as a reagent in the Mitsunobu condensation reaction, and it participates in Michael and Diels–Alder reactions.