Dual-Action Cephalosporins: Cephalosporin 3'-Quinolone Carbamates

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jm00113a026

A series of cephalosporins has been prepared in which the 3'-position was linked to the nitrogen of the antibacterial quinolone ciprofloxacin through a carbamate function.Like the ester-linked and quaternary-linked dual-action cephalosporins reported earlier, these carbamate-linked compounds exhibited a broad antibacterial spectrum derived from both cephalosporin-like and quinolone-like activities, suggesting a dual mode of action.Studies to elucidate details of the mechanism of action have been inconclusive.Ciprofloxacin liberated as a consequence of bacterial enzyme-mediated reactions may contribute to the second mode of action, although some evidence indicates that the intact carbamate-linked bifunctional molecules may possess intrinsically both β-lactam and quinolone activities.