Novel mechanism of inhibiting β-Lactamases by sulfonylation using β-Sultams

β-Sultams are the sulfonyl analogues of β-lactams and N-acyl β-sultams are novel inactivators of the class C β-lactamase of Enterobacter cloacae P99. The rates of inactivation show a similar pH-rate dependence as that exhibited by the β-lactam antibiotics and with ESIMS data it is suggested that β-sultams sulfonylate the active site serine residue to form a sulfonate ester.