Carbodiimides are reagents for the Moffatt oxidation, a protocol for conversion of an alcohol to a carbonyl (ketone or aldehyde) using dimethyl sulfoxide as the oxidizing agent:
:(CH)SO + (CyN)C + RCHOH → (CH)S + (CyNH)CO + RC=O
Typically the sulfoxide and diimide are used in excess. The reaction generates dimethyl sulfide and a urea as byproducts.