Abstract The reaction of elemental white phosphorus with N-alkyl acrylamides and N, N- dialkyl acrylamides in the presence of a base is described and the physical properties of 8 new tertiary phosphine oxides of general formula (R 2 NCOCH 2 CH 2) 3 P [DOUBLE BOND] O (R= H, CH 3, C 2 H 5,[BOND](CH 2) 4 [BOND],[BOND](CH 2) 5 [BOND], and [BOND] C 2 H 4 OC 2 H 4 [BOND], CH 2 [DOUBLE BOND] CHCH 2) are reported. ...