A series of 8-substituted pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazines were considered as a bioisosteric replacement for the 9-substituted adenine derivatives resulting in the discovery of 8-(2-methoxybenzyl)-4-(N-methylamino)-2-n-propylpyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine (14d) and 2-trifluoromethyl-8-(2-methoxybenzyl)-4-(N-methylamino)pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine (14e) as a new structural class of potent phosphodiesterase type 4 inhibitors (IC(50)=13 nM and 11 nM, respectively) with high isoenzyme selectivity. An original tandem of reactions involving a palladium-mediated cross-coupling reaction (PMCCR) of the readily available 8-iodo-2-methyl-4-(N-methyl-N-phenylamino)pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine (11a) and arylboronic acids or alkynes followed by the displacement of the N-methyl-N-phenylamino group constitute the key steps in a novel synthetic approach developed herein. The treatment of 11a-c with n-BuLi and selected aldehydes represents an interesting alternative to the PMCCR for the synthesis of benzylic derivatives 14a-i. Preliminary biological testing has shown that compounds 14d and 14e strongly inhibit LPS-induced TNFalpha release from human mononuclear cells from healthy subjects. These two compounds were selected for further biological evaluation.