Knoevenagel condensation of various aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes with active methylene compounds like methyl and ethyl cyanoacetate, malononitrile, and cyanoacetamide proceeds smoothly with stirring in water in the presence of 4 mol% of diammonium hydrogen phosphate. The reactions were carried out at room temperature in short periods with very simple workup procedure and good to high yields.