PRODUCTION OF 3-ALKOXYMETHYLCEPHALOSPORIN

摘要

PURPOSE:A lower alcohol is made to act on a specific cephalosporanic acid in the presence of an iodine compound to produce the titled compound used as a starting compound for antibiotics by no use of toxic and harzardous compounds through a shortened and industrially advantageous process. CONSTITUTION:A cephalosporanic acid of formulaI(R<1> is amino-protecting group) or its salt such as sodium 7-phenoxyacetamide-3-acetoxymethyl-3-cephem- 4-carboxylate and a lower alcohol such as methanol are heated in the presence of a iodine compound such as sodium iodide to effect the reaction. Then, the reaction mixture is concentrated under reduced pressure to distil off the excessive lower alcohol, whereby the objective compound of formula II (R2 is lower alkyl) is obtained.