[1] Acting as antagonists of amino acids, they inhibit enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism and thus affect the physiological activity of the cell.
These effects may be exerted as antibacterial, plant growth regulatory or neuromodulatory.
They can act as ligands, and heavy metal complexes with aminophosphonates have medical applications.
[4] Aminophosphonates are often prepared by hydrophosphonylation, usually the condensation of imines and phosphorous acid.
Because these compounds are of pharmaceutical interest, methods have been developed to induce these additions asymmetrically.