Alkylation of 1-dimethylamino-1-cyanomethanephosphonic acid diethyl ester (8), easily obtainable from diethyl phosphite and the 0, N-acetal 9, yields 1-alkyl derivatives 14. Elimination of HCN converts 14 into 1-phosphonoenamines 6. Carbonyl compounds react with 8 to give 1-cyanoenamines 15 which may be hydrolyzed to from the homologous carboxylic acid. Alternatively, deprotonation of 15 yields the homoenolate anions 17 which ...