4-Bromo ring-substituted phenylcyanoacrylate (PCA) is reported in synthesis of novel selenophenes from activated acetylenes, ethyl 2-cyano-3-arylacrylate and potassium selenocyanate ; in catalysis using MWCNT-polyamine hybrids ; in tandem deacetalization-Knoevenagel condensation reaction using mesoporous carbon ; in catalysis by selenotungstates incorporating organophosphonate ligands and metal ions of condensation reaction ; in synthesis and study of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of fused uracils: pyrimidodiazepines, lumazines, triazolouracil and xanthines ; in studies related to controlling the emergence and shift direction of mechanochromic luminescence color of a pyridine-terminated compound ; in synthesis of thiazacridine derivatives as anticancer agents against breast and hematopoietic neoplastic cells ; in design, synthesis and characterization of aurone based α,β-unsaturated carbonyl-amino ligands and their application in microwave assisted Suzuki, Heck and Buchwald reactions ; in catalyst-free [3+3] annulation/oxidation of cyclic amidines with activated olefins: when the substrate olefin is also an oxidant ; in Cu-catalyzed remote transarylation of amines via unstrained C-C functionalization ; in silica bonded N-(propylcarbamoyl)sulfamic acid as a highly efficient and recyclable solid catalyst for the synthesis of benzylidene acrylate derivatives: docking and reverse docking integrated approach of network pharmacology ; and in ultrasonication-assisted synthesis of α,β-unsaturated compounds catalyzed by aminofunctionalized FDU-12 catalyst . 4-Fluoro ring-substituted PCA is involved in synthesis of 3-cyano-2-pyridones derivatives catalyzed by Au-Co/TiO2 ; in synthesis, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-tuberculosis and molecular docking of heterocyclic N-ethyl-N-methylbenzenesulfonamide derivatives , and in synthesis of thiazacridine derivatives as anticancer agents against breast and hematopoietic neoplastic cells . 4-Iodo ringsubstituted PCA are reported in selective hydrolysis of 1-cyanocyclopropane-1carboxylates: concise preparation of 1-carbamoylcyclopropane-1-carboxylates , and Reaction products of indandione with ethyl α-cyano-β-arylacrylates .