Recently, N-substituted anilines have been the object of increasing research interest in the field of organic chemistry due to their role as key intermediates for the synthesis of important compounds such as polymers, dyes, drugs, agrochemicals and pharmaceutical products. Among the various methods reported in literature for the formation of C–N bonds to access secondary anilines, the one-pot reductive amination of aldehydes with nitroarenes is the most interesting procedure, because it allows to obtain diverse N-substituted aryl amines by simple reduction of nitro compounds followed by condensation with aldehydes and subsequent reduction of the imine intermediates. These kinds of tandem reactions are generally catalyzed by transition metal-based catalysts, mainly potentially reusable metal nanoparticles. The rapid growth in the last years in the field of metal-based heterogeneous catalysts for the one-pot reductive amination of aldehydes with nitroarenes demands for a review on the state of the art with a special emphasis on the different kinds of metals used as catalysts and their recyclability features.

Hybrid materials, composed of organic and inorganic components at the nanometer or molecular level, have emerged as a promising material class at the forefront of technological progress. Their potential applications in the biological and medical fields have garnered significant interest, particularly in the context of incorporating antioxidant compounds. This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of a sol–gel-derived hybrid material, consisting of silica (S), polyethylene glycol (P), and the antioxidant flavonoid quercetin (Q). By varying the concentrations of Q and P, the structural and biological properties of the SPQ hybrid systems were investigated. Structural analysis using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies provided insights into the material composition and morphology, giving information about the interactions between the organic and inorganic phases. Additionally, the in vitro release study revealed a controlled release of quercetin over time, demonstrating that the hybrid materials possess a suitable application for drug delivery.

The production of fermented beverages using different fruits has attracted increasing interest due to evolving consumer preferences (e.g., health consciousness and demand for low-alcohol products) and technological advances in the production process. Yeasts play a fundamental role in determining the sensory, chemical and functional properties of these beverages. This review aims to summarize the latest scientific publications on the selection and use of Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces starter yeasts for juice processing. It illustrates and discusses the most recent findings on isolation and characterization techniques, from phenotypic screening to sophisticated ‘omics’ approaches, which allow precise identification and engineering of yeast strains. The impact of various inoculation strategies, such as single-strain inoculation, sequential inoculation, and co-fermentation with different strains, is analyzed according to its effect on the quality and complexity of the final product. Recent advances in the application of genomics and metabolomics to re-evaluate fruit by-products highlight the importance of innovation in developing new, sustainable, diverse fermented fruit beverages.

The peculiar behavior of arsenoplatin-1, ([Pt(µ-NHC(CH₃)O)₂ClAs(OH)₂], AP-1), in aqueous solution and the progressive appearance of a characteristic and intense blue color led us to carry out a more extensive investigation to determine the nature of this elusive chemical species, which we named “AsPt blue”. A multi-technique approach was therefore implemented to describe the processes involved in the formation of AsPt blue, and some characteristic features of this intriguing species were revealed.