Pharma & Specialty Chemical Standards

Cefotaxime, a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, has the IUPAC name (6R,7R)-7-[(2Z)-2-(2-amino-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)-2-methoxyiminoacetyl]-3-methyl-8-oxo-5-thia-1-azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid, molecular formula C₁₆H₁₆N₄O₇S₂, and molecular weight 412.44 g/mol. Structurally, it features a beta-lactam ring fused to a dihydrothiazine ring, with a methoxyimino group and aminothiazole side chain enhancing stability against beta-lactamases. Therapeutically, it treats Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections. It is a white, crystalline powder with good aqueous solubility (pKa ~3.0) and is bactericidal via irreversible binding to penicillin-binding proteins, inhibiting cell wall peptidoglycan synthesis.