Dual-action cephalosporins: cephalosporin 3'-quaternary ammonium quinolones

When cephalosporins exert their biological activity by reacting with bacterial enzymes, opening of the β-lactam ring can lead to expulsion of the 3'-substituent. A series of cephalosporins was prepared in which antibacterial quinolones were linked to the 3'-position through a quaternary nitrogen. Like the 3'-ester-linked dual-action cephalosporins reported earlier, these compounds demonstrated a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity derived from cephalosporin-like and quinolone-like components, suggesting a dual mode of action