  We study a scalar field with kinetic term coupled to itself and to the
curvature, as a source of dark energy, and analyze the role of this new
coupling in the accelerated expansion at large times. In the case of scalar
field dominance, the scalar field and potential giving rise to power-law
expansion are found in some cases, and a dynamical equation of state is
calculated for a given solution of the field equations. A behavior very close
to that of the cosmological constant was found.
