Can Diphenylphosphoryl azide (DPPA) be used for the Curtius rearrangement? Is it highly hazardous?

Yes. Diphenylphosphoryl azide (DPPA) is a stable azide, that can be utilized as a reagent in the conversion of alcohols to azides via the Mitsunobu reaction or for Curtius rearrangement. Curtius rearrangement is the thermal decomposition of an acyl azide to an isocyanate with loss of nitrogen gas. The isocyanate then undergoes attack by a variety of nucleophiles such as water, alcohols and amines, to yield a primary amine, carbamate or urea derivative respectively. DPPA is very toxic and a potential explosive like most other azide compounds.

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