PREPARATION OF AZETIDINONE DERIVATIVE

PURPOSE:To prepare the titled substance useful as a synthetic intermediate of antibiotics, easily, under mild condition, without using sulfenyl halide which is to be handled with care, by reacting a thiazolinoazetidinone derivative with a sulfur-containing compound in a water-containing organic solvent in the presence of an acid. CONSTITUTION:The compound of formula IV can be prepared by reacting the thiazolinoazetidinone derivative of formula I (R is lower alkyl, aryl, phenylmethyl or phenyloxymethyl; R is H, hydrocarbon residue, acyl, silyl, etc.) with the sulfur-containing compound of formula II [R is aryl or heterocyclic group; Y is -SR or group of formula III (R and R are amine residue or imide residue)] in the presence of an acid such as perchloric acid in a water-containing organic solvent. The amount of the compound of formula II is preferably 1-2mol per 1mol of the compound of formula I . The amount of water in the water-containing organic solvent is preferably 10-500 equivalent based on the compound of formula I .