Two recent publications describe some unusual amide coupling reagents that look promising.

In the first paper workers at Novartis¹ describe the synthesis and use of 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine-2-yl)-4-methlmorpholinium chloride (DMTMM).  The compound is a further development on the use of 2-chloro-4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine (CDMT).  Both compounds are useful as coupling reagents for the formation amide bonds without racemisation of amino acids.  One drawback of CDMT is that it can react with the amine coupling partner via chloride displacement.  The solution to this problem is to use DMTMM which is a commercially available solid.

In the second paper² from academic researchers 2-bromo and 2-iodobenzeneboronic acid were found to be active catalysts for amide coupling reactions.  The reactions are carried out at room temperature in dichloromethane or THF as solvent.  Use of a water scavenger is essential for good conversion and in this work 4Å molecular sieves were used.  The catalyst is easily recycled by extraction in to aqueous base and subsequent neutralistion.

1. W.-C. Shieh et al, Tet. Letts., 2008, 49, 5359-5362.
2. D.G. Hall and co-workers, Angew. Chem. Internat. Ed., 2008, 47, 2876-2879.