Nuclear analogs of β-lactam antibiotics. II. Synthesis of O-2-isocephems

The preparation by total synthesis of a new class of β-lactam antibiotics is reported. Conversion of alcohol 1b to its mesylate 9b followed by hydrolysis of the acetal to the enol 1b and base-catalyzed ring closure gave benzyl 7- β-azido-Δ3-O-2-isocephem-4-carboxylate 8b. Similarly prepared were the 3 -methyl, 3 -benzyl, and 3 -phenethyl analogs (32b–d). Reduction of the azides followed by coupling of the resultant amines with phenoxyacetic acid and removal of the benzyl groups by hydrogenolysis gave the acids 35a–e which exhibited high antibacterial activity. The structural assignments to the O-2-isocephems which were made on the basis of their spectral characteristics (ir, uv, and nmr) are discussed.