An interesting family of bioactive aminolipopeptides contain the unusual building block 2-amino-6-hydroxy-4-methyl-8-oxodecanoic acid (AHMOD). This building block has presented a significant challenge to synthesis of this family of aminolipopeptides due to the sensitive β-hydroxyketone motif present. The discovery and identification, syntheses, and eventual incorporation of synthetically challenging AHMOD into selected aminolipopeptides is described herein.