SYNTHESIS OF MACROCYCLIC LACTAM LACTONE DERIVATIVES HAVING ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY

A number of new synthetic methods have been developed that are applica ble to several types of antibiotics possessing macrocyclic lactone or lactum structures. These methods have permitted the synthesis of sever al key subunits of these compounds, and progress has been made on the total synthesis of some of these antibiotics. The type A streptogramin antibiotics have served as a special focus of these efforts. In addit ion, a combination of microbiological and chemical methods have been i nvestigated for the direct modification of the naturally occurring ant ibiotics.