An efficient oxidation of sp3 C–H bonds to esters and ketones has been developed using AgI/BiVO4 as the photocatalyst and O2 as the oxidant in water.

Until now, the substitution of alcohols by N-nucleophiles via TBN-catalyzed dehydrogenation was not known. Herein, we reported a TBN catalyzed dehydrative N-alkylation of anilines with 4-hydroxybutan-2-one in the presence of TEMPO, which was different from the TEMPO/TBN catalyzed oxidation reactions. A range of anilines reacted successfully with 4-