Synthesis and biological evaluation of optically active 3-H-1-carbacephem compounds

3-H-1-Carbacephem nuclei with or without a 2 alpha- or 2 beta-methyl group were prepared via 2 + 2 cycloaddition followed by intramolecular Horner-Emmons cyclization. Optically active 3-H-1-carbacephem compounds were efficiently prepared by employing a penicillin acylase-producing microorganism in two ways. That is, the 7-phenylacetamide of a racemic carbacephem nucleus was hydrolyzed enantioselectively with the enzyme to afford the optically pure nucleus, which was then acylated to give antimicrobial compounds. Alternatively, a racemic carbacephem nucleus was directly and enantioselectively phenylglycylated with the enzyme. 3-H-1-Carbacephem nuclei appeared to be better substrates for penicillin acylase than penam or cephem nuclei of natural origin. 3-H-1-Carbacephem compounds showed potent antimicrobial activity; compound 32a exhibited activity comparable to that of ceftizoxime, a cephem analog with the same acyl group. It is of interest that the 3-H-1-carbacephem compound turned out to have more potent antimicrobial activity than its 3-substituted methyl analog.