The synthesis of netilmicin via complexing of vicinal and non-vicinal amino-hydroxyl group pairs with divalent transition-metal cations

Abstract Sisomicin was converted into 3,2′,6′-tri- N -acetylsisomicin by acetylation of its 3″,4″-vicinal- cis and 1,2″- non -vicinal amino-hydroxyl group pair complex of copper(II) or cobalt(II) acetate. The tri- N -blocked derivative was reductively monoalkylated at the 1-position with acetaldehyde and sodium cyanoborohydride and then N -deprotected to give netilmicin.