An efficient, functional group tolerable, and environmentally benign process for the synthesis of amides was developed. No activation reagents or scavengers are required in this process. Purification of desired compounds is easy, rapid, and cost-effective. This protocol provides an alternative for the combinatorial liquid-phase synthesis of amide libraries for drug discovery. By this method, a number of amides were prepared and evaluated in vitro against a panel of human tumor cell lines. Cinnamic amide IV-4 was found to be the most potent compound synthesized against four human tumor cell lines.