The formation and transformation of phosphorus–carbon bonds in living organisms

Synthesis of β-Aminophosphonates and -Phosphinates

“…In 1959 Horiguchi and Kandatsu first described the isolation of 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid (AEP) 2 (R = R 1 = R 2 = H, R 3 = OH) (Scheme ) from Celiate protozoa . Biosynthetic reactions creating C−P bonds have been used for the synthesis of 2- aminoethylphosphonates or -phosphinates from biological sources . Since then β-aminophosphonic acid (AEP) has been isolated from various living organisms and a new area of biochemistry has grown up around these compounds, though the biosynthesis of these naturally occurring phosphonates has not yet been fully explained.…”