Abstract The combination of the water-soluble radical initiator, 2, 2′-azobis [2-(2-imidazolin- 2-yl) propane] dihydrochloride (VA-044) and the surfactant, cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB), was found to be the most suitable condition for the effective and direct synthesis of useful active thioesters (pentafluorophenyl thioesters) in water. In addition, the direct amidation of aldehydes was achieved by the addition of the amines to the ...