We describe two convenient syntheses of rhizobactin-1021 (Rz), a citrate-based siderophore amphiphile produced by the nitrogen-fixing root symbiont Rhizobium meliloti- 1021, and several analogs. Our approach features a singly amidated, tert-butyl-protected citrate intermediate that easily affords a variety of Rz analogs in the late stages of the synthesis. Structural modeling and the monolayer behavior of Rz and its metal complexes ...