The discovery of monocyclic &lactam antibiotics from microbial sources has spawned efforts to generate synthetic analogues with improved antibacterial properties. From such activities, Ro 17-2301 (AMA-1080, l) has emerged as an antibacterial with therapeutic potential. The commercial development of 1 required a practical synthesis of the zwitterion (3S, 4S)-3- amino-4-[(carbamoyloxy) methy1]-2-oxoazetidine-l-sulfonic acid (2). The preparation of ...