By modification of the known Ritter conditions for making N-substituted amides by addition of acrylonitrile to olefinic compounds, it is possible to apply this reaction to new monoenic fatty acids. Procedures are presented for the addition of acrylonitrile to oleic acid (2a), methyl cis- 5-eicosenoate (3), erucic (4), and brassidinic (5) acids, and the addition of acetonitrile to brassidinic acid. Yields of 54 to 80-840/, of the respective monoacrylamides (10-12) and ...