Activated macrolactams

A compound having the formula ##STR4## wherein n is zero or one, R.sup.101 is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, allyl, propyl and cyclopropylmethyl;

• R.sup.102 is hydrogen, and R.sup.103 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy and a protected hydroxy group or, taken together. R.sup.102 and R.sup.103 form a bond, wherein a protected hydroxy group is a hydroxy group which is protected by a protecting group selected from tris(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -loweralkyl)silyl,
• (di(aryl))(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -loweralkyl)silyl, tri(aryl)silyl, tri(aryl-C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl)silyl,
• C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl-C(O)-, aryl -C(O)-, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl-OC(O)-,
• -S(O).sub.2 -(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -loweralkyl) and -S(O).sub.2 -(aryl);
• R.sup.104 and R.sup.105 are chosen such that one is hydrogen while the other is -OS(O).sub.2 F;
• and
• R.sup.106 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen,
• C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -loweralkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.12 -alkenyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -cycloalkyl, aryl, aryl-C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl and a hydroxy protecting group selected from tris(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -loweralkyl)silyl,
• (di(aryl))C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -loweralkyl)silyl, tri(aryl)silyl, tri(aryl-C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkylsilyl,
• C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl-C(O)-, aryl -C(O)-, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl-OC(O)-,
• -S(O).sub.2 -(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -loweralkyl) and -S(O).sub.2 -(aryl;
• wherein at each occurrence aryl is independently selected from phenyl, 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, fluorenyl, 1,2-dihydronaphthyl, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthyl, indanyl and indenyl and the aryl group can be unsubstituted or substituted with one, two or three substitutents independently selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -loweralkyl and halogen.