Carbapenem derivatives having antibiotic activity, their preparation and

Abstract

Carbapenem compounds of formula (I): ##STR1## [in which: A is a fully saturated heterocyclic group, of which at least one ring atom is nitrogen; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl; R.sup.2 is hydrogen or alkyl; R.sup.3 is hydrogen or a negative ion; Q is: (i) --B--N.sup.+ R.sup.8 R.sup.9 R.sup.10, where R.sup.8, R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 are alkenyl, alkynyl or optionally substituted alkyl, and B is alkylene or alkylidene; (ii) a heterocyclic group of which one ring atom is a >N.sup.+ R.sup.11 R.sup.12, where R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are alkenyl, alkynyl or optionally substituted alkyl; (iii) alkyl substituted by a heterocyclic group as defined in (ii) above; or (iv) alkyl substituted by an aromatic heterocyclic group, of which one ring atom is ##STR2## or R.sup.2 and Q, and the nitrogen to which they are attached, form a group of formula (II): ##STR3## where m and n are 1, 2 or 3; R.sup.6 is optionally substituted alkyl; and R.sup.7 is alkenyl, alkynyl or optionally substituted alkyl] and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof have valuable antibacterial activity with enhanced resistance to dehydropeptidase I and .beta.-lactamase. Methods of preparing and using the compounds are also provided.