It has been demonstrated by Cummins and coworkers that thermolysis of compounds of the general form CHPC(=PPh)R leads to the extrusion of CH (anthracene), triphenylphosphine, and the corresponding substituted phosphaacetylene: R-C≡P. Unlike the previous method, which derives the phosphaalkyne substituent from an acyl chloride, this method derives the substituent from a Wittig reagent.