Direct Synthesis of Amides from Carboxylic Acids and Amines Using B(OCH₂CF₃)₃

B­(OCH₂CF₃)₃, prepared from readily available B₂O₃ and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, is as an effective reagent for the direct amidation of a variety of carboxylic acids with a broad range of amines. In most cases, the amide products can be purified by a simple filtration procedure using commercially available resins, with no need for aqueous workup or chromatography. The amidation of <i>N</i>-protected amino acids with both primary and secondary amines proceeds effectively, with very low levels of racemization. B­(OCH₂CF₃)₃ can also be used for the formylation of a range of amines in good to excellent yield, via transamidation of dimethylformamide