.beta.-lactam antibiotics

A compound active against methicillin resistant bacteria, as demonstrated by a lower minimum inhibitory concentration against methicillin resistant strains than cefotaxime, of the formula:

• ##STR9## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein T is selected from the group consisting of CH.sub.2 and O;
• Y is selected from the group consisting of H, OMe, and NHCHO;
• R** is selected from the group consisting of H, Me, or Et;
• R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of --NHC(O)ZR.sup.3 ;
• --NR.sup.4 R.sup.5, and ##STR10## where Z is selected from the group consisting of --CH.sub.2 (X*).sub.m --, --C(NOR.sup.6)--, --CH (OR.sup.7)--, --C(CHCO.sub.2 R.sup.8)-- and --CH(NR.sup.9 R.sup.10)--,
• X* is selected from the group consisting of O and S,
• m is 0 or 1;
• R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of cyano, alkyl, aryl, heterocycle and heteroaralkyl wherein the heterocycle and the heteroaromatic portion of said heteroaralkyl are independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted furyl, thienyl, imidazolyl, indolyl, pyridinyl, thiadiazolyl, thiazolyl, piperazinyl, dibenzfuranyl, and dibenzthienyl;
• R.sup.4-7 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl and acyl;
• R.sup.8 is selected from the group of hydrogen, alkyl and aryl;
• R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 are selected independently from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, acyl, and heterocyclecarbonyl wherein the heterocyclic portion of said heterocyclecarbonyl is selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted furyl, thienyl, imidazolyl, indolyl, pyridinyl, thiadiazolyl, thiazolyl, piperazinyl, dibenzfuranyl, and dibenzthienyl;
• R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heterocycle, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, and trialkylsilyl wherein the heterocycle and the heteroaromatic portion of said heteroaralkyl are independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted furyl, thienyl, imidazolyl, indolyl, pyridinyl, thiadiazolyl, thiazolyl, piperazinyl, dibenzfuranyl, and dibenzthienyl;
• R*** is selected from the group consisting of heterotricycle;
• ##STR11## wherein R.sup.11 is H or halogen;
• R.sup.12 is ##STR12## or S--R.sup.17 W is selected from the group consisting of S, NH, and CH.sub.2 ;
• R.sup.13-16 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, acyl, hydroxy, amino, amidino, and phosphoryl and taken together may form a 5-or 6-membered ring;
• R.sup.17 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, and a 5- or 6-membered ring heterocycle containing 0-4 nitrogen atoms, 0-1 oxygen atoms, and 0-1 sulfur atoms, and which is optionally substituted by alkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxyl, amino, hydroxymethyl, aminomethyl, or mono- or dialkylaminomethyl;
• p is 0, 1 or 2;
• R.sup.18 is cyano or an optionally substituted phenyl or heteroaryl;
• wherein said heteroaryl is selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted furyl, thienyl, imidazolyl, indolyl, pyridinyl, thiadiazolyl, thiazolyl, piperazinyl, dibenzfuranyl, and dibenzthienyl
• V is carbon or nitrogen;
• A, B and C are independently selected from the group consisting of CR.sup.19 or nitrogen, where R.sup.19 is hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyl, amino, cyano, hydroxymethyl, or mono- or dialkylaminomethyl;
• and
• D, E, F, and G are independently selected from the group consisting of CR.sup.19 or nitrogen, where R.sup.19 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyl, amino, cyano, hydroxymethyl, and mono- or dialkylaminomethyl.