A versatile, efficient method for the preparation of alpha-monofluoromethylene (-CHF-) phosphonates from alpha-fluorovinylphosphonate provides access to a class of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor-subtype agonists. In addition, sn-2 O-methylation of alpha-monofluoromethylene phosphonates using trimethylsilyldiazomethane generated sn-1-acyl, 2-O-methyl alpha-monofluoromethylene derivatives. Finally, a novel method for the selective etherification of 1,2-diols was developed and a new class of sn-1 O-methyl, 2-acyl alpha-monofluoromethylene LPA analogues was prepared. [reaction: see text]