Macrocylic Lactams

A second period of macrocyclic chemistry was signaled by the isolation of the first macrolide antibiotic from an Actomyces culture in 1950. Brockmann and Henkel [6][7] named it picromycin (Pikromycin) (1/4), because of its bitter taste. This antibiotic contains a 14-membered ring. Since then a large number of macrocyclic lactones, lactams and cycloalkane derivatives have been discovered. Some of these compounds have a considerable physiological importance for humans and animals. Because of these physiological properties it was necessary to prepare larger quantities of these macrocylic compounds by chemical syntheses [8]. 

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