Antibacterial activity of phosphono dipeptides related to alafosfalin.

A series of dipeptides containing N-terminal alanine or leucine and a wide range of P-terminal racemic 1-amino-alkanephosphonates were prepared and tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit the growth of various bacterial species. The results demonstrate that peptides containing 4-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid and 1-amino-1-methylethanephosphonic acid exhibit antibacterial activity comparable with that observed in the case of peptides containing P-terminal racemic 1-aminoethanephosphonic acid (analogue of alanine) used as a positive control.