EPSP Synthase: The Design and Synthesis of Bisubstrate Inhibitors Incorporating Novel 3-Phosphate Mimics

Novel aromatic bisubstrate inhibitors of the enzyme EPSP (5-enolpyruvoylshikimate-3-phosphate) synthase (EC 2.5.1.19) have been designed and synthesized as structural analogs of the single, catalytic intermediate 1 utilized by the enzyme. These aromatic inhibitors incorporate novel α-hydroxyphosphonates, malonate ethers and α-hydroxymalonates as replacements for the hydrolytically labile 3-phosphate group. These 3-phosphate mimics were much preferred to the corresponding methylene and vinylic phosphonates, malonates and phosphonomethyl ethers.