Chapter 12. Antibacterial Agents

Enantiospecific synthesis of 4-alkoxyazetidin-2-ones

“…This synthesis is based on the free-radical annelation of non-fused p-lactams (4), readily obtained from racemic P-lactams (9, in which R represents an alkenyl or alkynyl group. Extension of this method for the synthesis of compounds of potentially useful biological activity requires, inter afia the use of B-lactams (5) having at yosition-4 the same absolute configuration as carbon-5 in clavulanic acid (1) and as carbon-6 in the oxacephem (2).…”