N-Benzyl Residues as the P1′ Substituents in Phosphorus-Containing Extended Transition State Analog Inhibitors of Metalloaminopeptidases

Peptidyl enzyme inhibitors containing an internal aminomethylphosphinic bond system (P(O)(OH)-CH2-NH) can be termed extended transition state analogs by similarity to the corresponding phosphonamidates (P(O)(OH)-NH). Phosphonamidate pseudopeptides are broadly recognized as competitive mechanism-based inhibitors of metalloenzymes, mainly hydrolases. Their practical use is, however, limited by hydrolytic instability, which is particularly restricting for dipeptide analogs. Extension of phosphonamidates by addition of the methylene group produces a P-C-N system fully resistant in water conditions. In the current work, we present a versatile synthetic approach to such modified dipeptides, based…