Bis(2-t-butylphenyl)phosphonoacetamides for the highly cis-selective synthesis of α,β-unsaturated amides

New Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reagents, (o-t-BuPhO)2P(O)CH2CONMe(OMe) and (o-t-BuPhO)2P(O)CH2CON(CH2CH2) 2O were prepared via the Arbuzov reaction in good yields. The HWE reaction of these reagents with a variety of aldehydes gave cis-α,β-unsaturated amides with high selectivity in almost quantitative yields.