A method of making a phosphono-phosphate compound comprising the steps of: a. mixing a first component comprising a phosphonic acid, a phosphonate or mixtures thereof, with a second component comprising a source of phosphoric acid or phosphate, wherein the mixture has a molar phosphorous ratio of said first component to said second component of from 1:1 to 1:10, and b. physically dehydrating the mixture to produce a phosphono-phosphate compound having the structure of Formula 1: wherein: ε is the site of attachment to a carbon atom; R 1 is selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, amine cation salt, and a structure of Formula 2: wherein: δ is the site of attachment to Formula 1, R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, amine cation salt, and a structure of Formula 3: wherein: δ is the site of attachment to Formula 1, R 6, and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt, and n is an integer from 1 to 2 and; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt. a. mixing a first component comprising a phosphonic acid, a phosphonate or mixtures thereof, with a second component comprising a source of phosphoric acid or phosphate, wherein the mixture has a molar phosphorous ratio of said first component to said second component of from 1:1 to 1:10, and b. physically dehydrating the mixture to produce a phosphono-phosphate compound having the structure of Formula 1: wherein: ε is the site of attachment to a carbon atom; R 1 is selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, amine cation salt, and a structure of Formula 2: wherein: δ is the site of attachment to Formula 1, R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, amine cation salt, and a structure of Formula 3: wherein: δ is the site of attachment to Formula 1, R 6, and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt, and n is an integer from 1 to 2 and; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt. ε is the site of attachment to a carbon atom; R 1 is selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, amine cation salt, and a structure of Formula 2: wherein: δ is the site of attachment to Formula 1, R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt; δ is the site of attachment to Formula 1, R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, amine cation salt, and a structure of Formula 3: wherein: δ is the site of attachment to Formula 1, R 6, and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt, and n is an integer from 1 to 2 and; δ is the site of attachment to Formula 1, R 6, and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt, and n is an integer from 1 to 2 and; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of -H, metal salt having Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, or Sn cation, and amine cation salt.