Cysteamine N-Protection via Equilibration: Preparation of 4-Nitrophenylmethyl 2-Mercaptoethylcarbamate for Use in the Syntehsis of Thienamycin

Abstract

All of the reported syntheses of thienamycin use the 4-nitro-phenylmethyloxycarbonyl group as the preferred method for the N-protection of cysteamine (2-aminoethanethiol) to subsequently afford bis-protected thienamycin (1) as a crystalline, stable and isolable intermediate.^1,2,3,4,5