Maleic anhydride undergoes C-phosphorylation under the action of tris(diethylamino)phosphine to afford 3-dihydrofuranylidene-4-phosphorylidene-oxolane-2,5,5′-trione whereas 2,3-diphenylmaleic anhydride under the same conditions turns into N,N,N′,N′-tetraethyl-2,3-diphenylbut-2-enediamide. The latter reaction can serve as a novel approach for the synthesis of dicarboxylic acids diamides from corresponding cyclic anhydrides. Their structures were established by NMR and X-ray diffraction.