Phosphonates

chemical compound, tautomer of phosphorous acid

thumb|right|General ester of phosphonic acid; in fact, the phosphorus has a formal charge of +1, the oxygen above it has a formal charge of −1, and the bond between them is single.

chemical compound

chemical compound

Aminophosphonates are organophosphorus compounds with the formula (RO)2P(O)CH2NR2. These compounds are structural analogues of amino acids in which a carboxylic moiety is replaced by phosphonic acid or related groups. 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.