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 ...