A chemical synthesis of both diastereomers of the tetrahedral intermediate involved in 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) catalysis has been accomplished. Combination of methyl dibromopyruvate, with a protected shikimic acid derivative, phosphorylation, and lactonization afforded the intermediates (S)-15 and (R)-15, whose configurations were assigned by NMR. After introduction of the 3-phosphate group and deprotection, photoinitiated radical debromination of the dibromo analogues (S)-5 and (R)-5 was accomplished with tributyltin hydride in mixed aqueous solvents in the presence of surfactant to give the pyruvate ketal phosphates (R)-TI and (S)-TI, respectively. These compounds are stable at high pH, but decompose at pH 7 with a half-life of ca. 10 min. (R)-TI proved to be inert to EPSPS, while (S)-TI was converted by the enzyme to a mixture of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate, shikimate 3-phosphate, and phosphoenolpyruvate. The demonstration that the enzymatic intermediate possesses the S-configuration at the ketal center confirms the mechanism as an anti addition followed by a syn elimination. Furthermore, it appears that the syn stereochemistry of the second step requires the phosphate leaving group to serve as the base in catalyzing its own elimination.