Removal of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-3 (S1P(3)) agonism is essential, but inadequate to obtain immunomodulating 2-aminopropane-1,3-diol S1P(1) agonists with reduced effect on heart rate.

A series of 2-substituted 2-aminopropane-1,3-diols having a biphenyl moiety and their phosphate esters were synthesized to obtain sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1P(1)) receptor agonists with potent immunomodulatory activity accompanied by little or no effect on heart rate. Many of the synthesized compounds sufficiently decreased the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Some of the phosphates had potent agonism at S1P(1) but no agonism at S1P(3), which had been reported to be a receptor responsible for heart rate reduction.