As a complement to the renowned bicyclic β-lactam antibiotics, monocyclic analogues provide a breath of fresh air in the battle against resistant bacteria. In that framework, the present study discloses the in silico design and unprecedented ten-step synthesis of eleven nocardicin-like enantiomerically pure 2-{3-[2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-(methoxyimino)acetamido]-2-oxoazetidin-1-yl}acetic acids starting from serine as a readily accessible precursor. The capability of this novel class of monocyclic 3-amino-β-lactams to inhibit penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of various (resistant) bacteria was assessed, revealing the potential of α-benzylidenecarboxylates as interesting leads in the pursuit of novel PBP inhibitors. No deactivation by representative enzymes belonging to the four β-lactamase classes was observed, while weak inhibition of class C β-lactamase P99 was demonstrated.

Due to the emerging resistance against classical β‐lactam‐based antibiotics, a growing number of bacterial infections has become harder to treat. This alarming tendency necessitates continued research on novel antibacterial agents. Many classes of β‐lactam antibiotics are characterized by the presence of the 3‐aminoazetidin‐2‐one core, which resembles the natural substrate of the target penicillin‐binding proteins. In that respect, this Review summarizes the different synthetic pathways toward this key structure for the development of new antibacterial agents. The most extensively applied methods for 3‐amino‐β‐lactam ring formation are discussed, in addition to a few less common strategies. Moreover, approaches to introduce the 3‐amino substituent after ring formation are also covered.

The reactivity of 3-oxo-β-lactams with respect to primary amines was investigated in depth. Depending on the specific azetidin-2-one C4 substituent, this reaction was shown to selectively produce 3-imino-β-lactams (through dehydration), α-aminoamides (through CO elimination), or ethanediamides (through an unprecedented C3-C4 ring opening). In addition to the experimental results, the mechanisms and factors governing these peculiar transformations were also examined and elucidated by means of DFT calculations.

Scheme 1. Reaction mechanism of the Staudinger β-lactam synthesis. Scheme 2. Literature information and preliminary in-house results on Staudinger syntheses involving acid chloride 9 and/or imines 10.

In this study, the preparation of 4-imidoyl-, 4-oxiranyl-, and 4-propargyloxyphenylsubstituted β-lactams as versatile building blocks in heterocyclic chemistry was realized. Efforts were made to deploy these polyvalent compounds for ensuing cyclization reactions en route to new bi-or polycyclic frameworks, which, in the case of a 3-chloro-4-propargyloxyphenyl-β-lactam substrate, enabled the preparation of an unprecedented β-lactam-fused benzotriazolo-oxazocane scaffold. The chemical structure of the latter polyheterocycle was unequivocally secured by means of X-ray analysis.