A new convenient synthesis of N-acyl-2-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)glycinates

Easily accessible N-acyl-2-triphenylphosphonioglycinate tetrafluoroborates react smoothly with trimethylphosphite in the presence of methyltriphenylphosphonium iodide to give N-acyl-2-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)glycinates in good or very good yields. The dimethoxyphosphorylglycinates may be isolated by column chromatography, or used directly for the Wadsworth–Emmons synthesis of α,β-dehydro-α-amino acids in a one-pot procedure without purification.