Ansamycin antibiotics biological properties

As a consequence, intramolecular and intermolecular interactions lead to unexpected chemical properties. In particular, those derivatives with lipophilic side chains tend to aggregate and behave like detergents even in dilute solutions. This property should be taken into account, when ansamycins are used at high concentrations in biological systems. The ansamysins do not contain lactone bonds in their ansa ring, which sets them clearly apart from the macrolide antibiotics. 

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