TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The solvent is selected from water, methanol, ethanol, iso-propanol, tertbutanol, trifluoroethanol, hexafluoro-2-propanol and/or amyl alcohol (preferably water).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The process is carried out without adding solvents at 20-100 (preferably 20-85) degrees C. The process is a non-catalyzed process; an acid catalyzed process; or a transition metal catalyzed process (preferably transition metal catalyzed process using catalyst comprising transition metal compound, and optionally at least one ligand); or an organocatalyzed process (preferably organocatalyzed process using optionally chiral organocatalyst). The transition metal catalyzed process is optionally carried out in the presence of a base (preferably NaOBut, KOBut, K2CO3, Na2CO3, KOAc, NaOAc, especially NaOBut). The transition metal catalyzed process is carried out in the absence of a base. The process is carried out in the presence of a promoter (preferably fluorinated alcohols, especially trifluoroethanol and/or hexafluoro-2-propanol); and in the presence of a surfactant (preferably ionic and/or nonionic surfactants).Preferred Components: The transition metal compound is selected from copper compounds, indium compounds, zinc compounds, iron compounds, manganese compounds, cerium compounds, bismuth compounds, scandium compounds, ytterbium compounds, yttrium compounds, tin compounds and vanadium compounds, particularly selected from copper compounds, indium compounds, scandium compounds, ytterbium compounds, or iron compounds. The acid is a Lewis acid selected from copper(II) acetate, copper(II) chloride, copper(II) triflate, iron(III) chloride, indium(III) chloride, scandium(III) triflate, ytterbium(III) triflate, or vanadium(III) acetyacetonate. The acid is a Bronsted acid selected from dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid (DBSA), phosphotungstic acid, Nafion-H, trifluoromethanesulphonic acid (HOTf), phosphomolybdic acid, methanesulphonic acid, p-toluenesulphonic acid (PTSA), chlorsulphonic acid 2,5-dinitrobenzenesulphonic acid (DNBSA), sulfuric acid, polystyrenesulfonic acid (PSSA), boric acid, and/or phenyboric acid (preferably DBSA, PSSA or phosphotungstic acid). ACTIVITY - Antidiabetic. No biological data given.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor.    SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - Preparation of 15 compounds are specified as the compound (I) e.g. methyl 3-benzylamino-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoate (I'), methyl 3-(benzyloxyamino)-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoate, methyl 3-(phenoxy-amino)-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoate, methyl 3-amino-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoate, and methyl 3-(dimethylamino)-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoate.    EXAMPLE - Methyl (E)-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)-but-2-enoate (115 mg) and benzylamine (68 mg) were placed into a flask and the deionized water was added (3 ml). The heterogenic reaction mixture (aqueous dispersion) was intensively stirred (1000 revolution per minute) at 60 degrees C for 16 hours. The reaction mixture was diluted with water (5 ml) and gently extracted with EtOAc. After work-up methyl 3-benzylamino-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoate was obtained.