Crystalline cephalosporin hydrohalide salts

A process for preparing a crystalline cephalosporin hydrohalide salt of the formula ##STR2## where X is chloride or bromide, which comprises the steps of (a) treating the N-tritylamino cephalosporin compound of the formula ##STR3## with a solution of a polar organic solvent and water and hydrogen halide, where halide is chloride or bromide, in an amount which is at least stoichiometrically equivalent to the amount of the N-trityl compound (3) in the mixture,

• (b) heating the mixture from step (a) to a temperature of at least 45.degree. C. and for a time sufficient to effect detritylation,
• (c) decreasing the concentration of the polar organic solvent in the aqueous phase of mixture from step (b) to effect formation of crystalline cephalosporin hydrohalide salt (1),
• (d) separating the crystalline cephalosporin hydrohalide salt from the slurry mixture from step (c),
• (e) washing the separated crystalline cephalosporin hydrohalide salt from step (d) with water and polar organic solvent, and drying the washed crystalline cephalosporin hydrohalide salt from step (e).