Novel hydroxamic acid-related phosphinates: Inhibition of neutral aminopeptidase N (APN)

Here we describe the inhibitory activity toward neutral aminopeptidase of three new families of phosphinate inhibitors related in structure to hydroxamic acids. These compounds, even as racemic mixtures, are good inhibitors of APN and show strong structure activity relationship (SAR) depending on the substituents in P1 and P1′ positions.