Four novel cyanoacrylates, 2-cyanoethyl 2-cyanoacrylate, 1-cyanoethyl 2-cyanoacrylate, trideuteromethyl 2-cyanoacrylate and pentadeuteroethyl 2-cyanoacrylate have been synthesized using a Die Is-Alder protection/deprotection route involving anthracene. The common route for the synthesis of alkyl 2-cyanoacrylates was found to be unsatisfactory for the production of small quantities of the targeted cyanoacrylates, which have potential as reagents for the mid-infrared spectral imaging of fingerprints on difficult surfaces. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 49: 257-277, 2011