An experimentally simple, mild and straightforward synthetic route towards diversely functionalized (E)-3-acylacrylic acids is described, with Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) reaction as the key step. The substrate scope and limitations of the HWE reaction were investigated with a range of β-ketophosphonates. Glyoxylic acid monohydrate was demonstrated to be fully compatible with the HWE reaction conditions
synthetic tool. Despite its numerous advantages, it remains rather rarely used due to its uncertain predictability to occur. Herein, we describe CIDT based on aza-Michael reactions of diversely functionalized (E)-3-acylacrylic acids. This method provides direct access to a broad variety of α-amino acid derivatives in excellent stereochemical purities.