Novel polyfunctional compounds and a novel process for their preparation are disclosed. These compounds may be converted into the acid or salt forms of cis and trans aconitic acids as well as into a racemic mixture of isocitric acid, alloisocitric acid and the lactones of isocitric acid and alloisocitric acid and their salts. All of the acid and salt forms produced are useful as metal sequestrants and/or detergent builders. The novel polyfunctional compounds can also be saponified to their corresponding alkali metal salts which, in turn, are also metal ion sequestering agents and detergent builders. The polyfunctional compounds are the reaction products obtained from the reaction of selected salts of monoalkyl esters of maleic acid with selected active hydrogen containing compounds.