Abstract
Cephalexin, cefixime, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime were determined spectrophotometrically in the pure form and in pharmaceutical formulations by using ferrihydroxamate method. Reaction optimization with respect to reaction time and temperature has been investigated. Influence of the presence of ester functional group on the determination of cephalosporins as ß-lactams under conditions optimized was evaluated. Using cefotaxime sodiume as model drug with ester functional group, it was shown that proposed method gives equally acurate and precise results even in the presence of ester functional group.