Analogs of the antibiotic fosmidomycin, an inhibitor of the methylerythritol phosphate pathway to isoprenoids, were synthesized and evaluated against the recombinant Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR). Fosfoxacin, the phosphate analog of fosmidomycin, and its acetyl congener were found to be more potent inhibitors of DXR than fosmidomycin.
[Hwu, Jih Ru; Chua, Vincent; Schroeder, Jean E.; Barrans, Richard E.; Khoudary, Kevin P.; et al. Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1986 , vol. 51, # 24 p. 4731 - 4733]