The molecule is a 2-hydroxydicarboxylic acid that is 2-hydroxy-3-methylbutanedioic acid in which one of the methyl hydrogens is replaced by a phosphino group It has a role as a bacterial metabolite. It is a 2-hydroxydicarboxylic acid and a member of phosphinic acids. It is a conjugate acid of a phosphinomethylisomalate(3-).
(2,3-dicarboxy-3-hydroxypropyl)-hydroxy-oxophosphanium