Abstract: Process for the recovery of ampicillin from a mixture containing ampicillin and 6-aminopenicillic acid (6-APA), in which a mixture of ampicillin and 6-APA, with a pH higher than 7, which apart from any solid ampicillin being present is homogeneous at a pH between 7 and 8.5, is subjected to a pH lowering till a pH lower than 8.2 is reached, and the solid substance present is recovered. The process is in particular suitable to be applied to the reaction mixture which is obtained after the enzymatic acylation reaction of 6-APA with a phenylglycidine derivative as acylation agent. Pure ampicillin can thus be recovered in a simple way.

Abstract: The disclosed process is for the recovery of cephalexin from a mixture containing cephalexin and 7-aminodesacetoxy cephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA), wherein a mixture of cephalexin and 7-ADCA, with a pH higher than 7, which apart from any solid cephalexin being present is homogeneous at a pH between 7 and 8.5, is subjected to a pH modification until a pH lower than 7.8 is reached, and the solid substance is recovered. The disclosed process is particularly suited for application to a reaction mixture obtained after the enzymatic acylation reaction of 7-ADCA with a phenylglycine derivative as an acylation agent. Pure cephalexin can thus be recovered in a simple manner.