Synthesis and antitumor activity of selected 7-alkylidene substituted cephems

Abstract Selected 7-alkylidene substituted cephems were synthesized and subjected to antitumor assay. The effect of substituents was examined to establish structure–activity relationships. It was found that the intensive intracellular generation of nitric oxide induced by tert -butyl 7-alkylidene cephalosporanate sulfones could be also regarded as an additional cytotoxic factor taking place both in vitro and in vivo experiments.