Penicillins and Cephalosporins

Transscleral iontophoresis has been tried as an alternative method to in-travitreal injection of antibiotics such as cephalosporins, penicillins, and aminoglycosides [38-40]. Barza et al. [39] reported that the technique of transscleral iontophoresis was a safe, effective, noninvasive way of producing high concentration of antibiotics in the vitreous humor, when gentamicin sulfate iontophoresis was applied to the eyes of monkeys. 

Other Reactions. The reaction of Thydioxybenzaldehyde with sodium cyanide and ammonium chloride, Strecker synthesis, yields /J-hydroxyphenylglycine [938-97-6] a key intermediate in the manufacture of semisynthetic penicillins and cephalosporins (see Antibiotics, p-LACTAMs). 

In the period up to 1970 most P-lactam research was concerned with the penicillin and cephalosporin group of antibiotics (1). Since that time, however, a wide variety of new mono- and bicychc P-lactam stmctures have been described. The carbapenems, characterized by the presence of the bicychc ting systems (1, X = CH2) originated from natural sources the penem ring (1, X = S) and its derivatives are the products of the chemical synthetic approach to new antibiotics. The chemical names are 7-oxo-(R)-l-a2abicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-2-carboxyhc acid [78854-41-8] CyH NO, and 7-oxo-(R)-4-thia-l-a2abicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-2-carboxylic a.cid [69126-94-9], C H NO S, respectively. 

In the case of thienamycin (Fig. lb) the absolute stereochemistry at C-5 was unambiguously deterrnined from the ene-lactam (16). The resultant (R)-aspartic acid (17) demonstrated that the absolute stereochemistry at C-5 of thienamycin is (R), corresponding to that found in the C-5 position of both penicillins and cephalosporins. Confirmation of the stereochemical assignments in both thienamycin (2) and the olivanic acid MM 13902 (3, n = 0) has been confirmed by x-ray crystallography (19,21,22). The stmctural determination of the nonsulfated derivatives from S. olivaceus (23), PS-5 (5) (5), the carpetimycins (6), and the asparenomycins (7) followed a similar pattern. 

Historically, the development of penems is contemporary with that of the naturally occurring carbapenems and the direction of penem research has clearly been influenced by the stmctures of the closely related natural products. The origins of the two groups of compounds is, however, quite different. Unlike carbapenems, no penems have been found in nature. When first described (84,85) they were viewed as hybrid molecules combining stmctural features of penicillins and cephalosporins. 

Fermentation. The commercial P-lactam antibiotics which act as starting material for all of the cephalosporins ate produced by submerged fermentation. The organisms used for the commercial production of the penicillins and cephalosporins ate mutants of PenicU/in chTysogenum and Cephalosporium acremonium respectively (3,153,154). Both ate tme fungi (eucaryotes). In contrast, the cephamycins ate produced by certain species of procaryotic Streptomyces including Streptomyces clavuligerus and Streptomyces lipmanii (21,103). 

The P-lactam antibiotics ate produced by secondary metaboHc reactions that differ from those responsible for the growth and reproduction of the microorganism. In order to enhance antibiotic synthesis, nutrients must be diverted from the primary pathways to the antibiotic biosynthetic sequences. Although most media for the production of penicillins and cephalosporins are similar, they ate individually designed for the specific requkements of the high yielding strains and the fermentation equipment used. 

Clavulanic acid has only weak antibacterial activity, but is a potent irreversible inhibitor for many clinically important P-lactamases (10—14,57,58) including penases, and Richmond-Sykes types 11, 111, IV, V, VI ([Bacteroides). Type I Cephases are poorly inhibited. Clavulanic acid synergizes the activity of many penicillins and cephalosporins against resistant strains. The chemistry (59—63), microbiology (64,65), stmcture activity relationships (10,13,60—62,66), biosynthesis (67—69), and mechanism of action (6,26,27,67) have been reviewed. 

All of the naturally-occurring monobactams discovered as of this writing have exhibited poor antibacterial activity. However, as in the case of the penicillins and cephalosporins, alteration of the C-3 amide side chain led to many potent new compounds (12). Furthermore, the monobactam nucleus provides a unique opportunity to study the effect of stmctural modifications at the N-1 and C-4 positions of the a2etidinone ring on biological activity. In contrast to the bicycHc P-lactams, these positions on the monocyclic ring system are readily accessible by synthesis. 

An intermolecular carbenoid reaction followed by intramolecular displacement of acetate gives the clavulanic acid derivative (112) in one step from 4-acetoxyazetidin-2-one (91) (80CC1257). Carbene-induced reactions of penicillins and cephalosporins have been reviewed (75S547, 78T1731). 

The interaction of acid chlorides (167 X = Cl) with imines in the presence of bases such as triethylamine may involve prior formation of a ketene followed by cycloaddition to the imine, but in many cases it is considered to involve interaction of the imine with the acid chloride to give an immonium ion (168). This is then cyclized by deprotonation under the influence of the base. Clearly, the distinction between these routes is a rather fine one and the mechanism involved in a particular case may well depend on the reactants and the timing of mixing. Particularly important acid chlorides are azidoacetyl chloride and phthalimidoacetyl chloride, which provide access to /3-lactams with a nitrogen substituent in the 3-position as found in the penicillins and cephalosporins. 

Intermediates in penicillin and cephalosporin synthesis 78T1731, X = NR, O 75S547... 

One of the major differences between penicillins and cephalosporins is the possibility for a concerted elimination of the C-3 substituent in the case of cephalosporins (6->7). There is now considerable evidence to support the idea that an increase in the ability of the C-3 substituent to act as a leaving group results in an increased reactivity of the 8-lactam carbonyl (75JMC408). Thus, both the hydrolysis rate of the 8-lactam and antibacterial activity... 

A number of di- and trisubstituted hydrazides of penicillin and cephalosporin derivatives were prepared to study the effect of A-substitution on ease of oxidative cleavage. ... 

The bulky triphenylmethyl group has been used to protect a variety of amines such as amino acids, penicillins, and cephalosporins. Esters of N-trityl a-amino acids are shielded from hydrolysis and require forcing conditions for cleavage. The a-proton s also shielded from deprotonation, which means that esters elsewhere in the molecule can be selectively deprotonated. 

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