Hydrogen (H2) was one of the first molecules discovered by our society, being the most abundant element in the whole universe. Thus, H2 has gained a lot of attention throughout the years, and it has lots of applications in different areas, especially since it offers ways to decarbonize a lot of sectors, mainly the ones where it has been proved to be very difficult to meaningfully reduce those carbon emissions. Herein, the main aspects of the hydrogen economy and its main applications for energy, transportation and industries are described. These main areas outline how important is H2 for our society highlighting how H2 can make those well-known processes more sustainable and greener. By the end, a brief discussion on these applications with future perspectives is presented.

A simple route toward the selective synthesis of imines and amides through oxidative coupling−oxidative amidation of amines using widely available NaOCl is presented. Under this approach, unprecedented one-pot synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical secondary amides from primary amines as a single starting material is reported. This metalcatalyst-free protocol relies upon "on water" acceleration to obtain the desired products in high yields. An additive-based robustness screen was conducted to demonstrate the high reaction tolerance to several chemical motifs. Furthermore, mechanistic studies support a proposed pathway for the targeted oxidation products.

A simple route toward the synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical aromatic azo compounds through oxidative coupling of anilines using widely available NaOCl is presented. This metal catalyst-free protocol is performed in water and affords the desired products in high yields.