A novel strategy for direct aryl hydroxylation via Pd-catalysed Csp(2)-H activation through an unprecedented hydroxyl radical transfer from 1,4-dioxane, used as a solvent, is reported with bio relevant and sterically hindered heterocycles and various acyclic functionalities as versatile directing groups.

1-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cation based ionic liquids efficiently catalyze N-tert-butyloxycarbonylation of amines with excellent chemoselectivity. The catalytic role of the ionic liquid is envisaged as "electrophilic activation" of di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (Boc(2)O) through bifurcated hydrogen bond formation with the C-2 hydrogen of the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cation and has been supported by a downfield shift of the imidazolium C-2 hydrogen of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([bmim][NTf(2)]) from δ 8.39 to 8.66 in the presence of Boc(2)O in the (1)H NMR and a drastic reduction of the catalytic efficiency with 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium ionic liquids that are devoid of the C-2 hydrogen. The differential time required for reaction with aromatic and aliphatic amines has offered means for selective N-t-Boc formation during inter and intramolecular competitions. Preferential N-t-Boc formation with secondary aliphatic amine has been achieved in the presence of primary aliphatic amine. Comparison of the catalytic efficiency for N-t-Boc formation with a common substrate revealed that [bmim][NTf(2)] is superior to the reported Lewis acid catalysts.

A novel strategy of catalytic green aerobic oxidation by surfactant-mediated oxygen reuptake in water offers a new dimension to the applications of surfactants to look beyond as solubility aids and a conceptual advancement in understanding the role of surfactants in aquatic organic reactions through mass spectrometry guided identification of discrete intermediates.

The PDE4 enzyme has been proven to be a versatile drug target for therapeutics to treat diverse disease conditions such as asthma, COPD, diabetes, Huntington's disease, and various other inflammatory disorders. The treatment of COPD is the most studied utility for PDE4 inhibitors due to their ability to inhibit inflammatory cell responses. Roflumilast is the only approved drug belonging to this class to treat COPD and has shown significant results in the treatment of asthmatic patients. This perspective highlights the pharmacological details of roflumilast and cilomilast. Moreover, efforts have been made to justify the superiority of roflumilast over cilomilast by detailed comparison of their pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic properties and structural features. Several other molecules, with promising PDE4 inhibitory activity have also been highlighted. Commonly associated side effects with this class of compounds, their management, and future direction towards the development of PDE4 inhibitors with improved therapeutic index are the focus of this perspective. More emphasis has been given towards the future development strategies to limit the side effects such as emesis and to achieve better benefit to risk ratio.

An ecofriendly approach for the synthesis of highly substituted tetrahydropyridines by an 'on-water' multicomponent reaction has been demonstrated. The use of water as the reaction medium is essential under the catalytic influence of a surfactant. The use of a variety of anionic, cationic, and non-ionic surfactants in water was examined and the reaction was successfully catalyzed by anionic surfactants sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (SDOSS) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), with the former being superior. The use of an organic solvent together with a catalytic amount of sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate to form homogeneous conditions afforded inferior yields and highlighted the specific role of water through the creation of microreactors at the water surfactant interface. A mechanistic insight for the five-component reaction leading to the formation of tetrahydropyridines is provided invoking a tandem inter-and intramolecular Mannich reaction pathway.