PROCESS FOR PREPARATION OF 3-HYDROXYMETHYLCEPHEMS

摘要

The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing 3-hydroxymethyl -2-cephems by (1) reacting a 3-halomethylcephem compound with a .gamma.- or .delta.-hydroxycarboxylic acid salt and (2) reacting the .gamma. or .delta.-hydroxy esters thereby obtained with a protic acid. The 3-hydroxymethylcephems provided by the process of this invention are useful intermediates for the preparation of known cephalosporin antibiotics.