IMINO COMPOUNDS USEFUL FOR MAKING .BETA.-LACTAMS

摘要

This specification discloses optically uniform compounds of the general formula wherein R3 and R4 each represent a lower hydrocarbon group which optionally contains oxygen and which is attached via a carbon atom, whereby R3 and R4 can also be joined with one another to form together with the atoms to which they are attached a 5 or 6-membered ring, and Z' represents a readily cleavable protecting group, and the corresponding optical antipodes thereof. The manufacture of these compounds and their use in the manufacture of antimicrobially-active .beta.-lactams is also disclosed. These compounds are valuable intermediate products for the manufacture of pharmaceutically active substances and in particular they can be used for the manufacture of antibiotically active isocephalosporins.