Process for the preparation of 7-amino-cephem compounds using mold fungi

Abstract

Compounds are provided having the general formula I: ##STR1## wherein X represents an hydroxyl group, an acetoxy group or a thiosulfuric acid residue. The formula I compounds are prepared from compounds of the general formula II: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 represents hydrogen, a lower alkanoyl group, an arylalkanoyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a lower haloalkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aroyl group, a N-arylcarbamoyl group of a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; R.sub.2 either represents hydrogen or, together with the ##STR3## group, represents a phthalimido group; and X represents an hydroxyl group, an acetoxy group or a thiosulfuric acid residue, or their metal salts or their salts with organic bases, by causing the culture of a cephalosporin C acylase-producing strain of a microorganism, especially a mold, fungus, or the secondary preparation therefrom, to act on the latter compounds II in the presence of an aqueous medium.