Editorial [ Catalysis/Natural Product Chemistry Guest Editor: Massimo Curini ]

The 2008 Catalysis/Natural Product Chemistry issue of Current Organic Chemistry contains four contributions from eminent scientists in differend fields. The first subject edited by Bolanos and coworkers deals with some aspects of the chemistry and biological activity of hydroxytirosol, an interesting molecule from the olive tree. Bruno and coworkers provide an overwiew of diterpenoid metabolites of the genus Elaeosldinum (Apiacee) with biological activity. The properties of cyclodestrin system in different dense gas techniques have been reviewed by Mammuccari and Foster with their potential use in dense gas processing. Finally Salvador and coworkers review catalytic epoxidation and syn-dihydroxylation of steroid in order to obtain intermediates for synthetic applications. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the authors for providing these articles and for the fascinating results described.