CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF ERYTHROMYCINS. VIII. A NEW EFFECTIVE ROUTE TO CLARITHROMYCIN (6-O-METHYLERYTHROMYCIN A)
Selective O-methylation of the C-6 hydroxyl group of erythromycin A could be satisfactorily achieved by using its 9-oxime derivatives as the starting materials.Thus, 6-O-methylerythromycin A (clarithromycin) was synthesized from 2'-O-,3'-N-bis(benzyloxycarbonyl)-N-demethylerythromycin A via its 9-oxime derivative by 6 steps.