Process for 6-amino-2,2-dimethyl-3-(5-tetrazolyl)penam

Claim 1

A process for the preparation of 6-amino-2,2-dimethyl-3-(5-tetrazolyl)penam, or an acid-addition salt thereof, which comprises reacting a compound of formula ##STR16## or an acid-addition salt thereof, with hydrogen fluoride, at a temperature within the range from about -20° C. to about 20° C; wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and ##STR17## wherein R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, bromo, alkyl having from one to four carbon atoms, alkoxy having from one to four carbon atoms and phenyl; and R 2 is selected from the group consisting of ##STR18## wherein R 7 is at the 3-, 4- or 5-position and it is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, alkyl having from one to six carbon atoms, alkoxy having from one to six carbon atoms, benzyloxy and phenyl; R 8 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, fluoro, chloro, unbranched-alkyl having from one to six carbon atoms and unbranched-alkoxy having from one to six carbon atoms; R 10 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl; and X is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and sulfur; provided that at least one of R 7 and R 8 is selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxy, 4-hydroxy, 4-alkoxy having from one to six carbon atoms, 2-(unbranched-alkoxy) having from one to six carbon atoms and 4-benzyloxy .