beta-Lactam antibiotics display a range of biological activities. The origi
n of this diverse biological activity is discussed with reference to the ch
emical reactivity of the small ring system. The reactions of beta-sultams a
nd beta-phospholactams with simple nucleophiles are reported and their pote
ntial as mechanism based inhibitors of bacterial and mammalian serine prote
ases is described. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.