Antimicrobial N-(2-chlorobenzyl)-substituted hydroxamate is an inhibitor of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase

N-(2-Chlorobenzyl)-substituted hydroxamate, readily produced by hydrolysis of ketoclomazone, was identified as an inhibitor of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS), with an IC50 value of 1.0 mu M. The compound inhibited the growth of Haemophilus influenzae. A convenient spectroscopic method for assaying DXS using NADPH-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is also reported.