Abstract: There is disclosed a process for preparing sodium cefuroxime in very high purity. The process comprises reacting (6R,7R)-7-[Z-2-(fur-2-yl)-2-methoxyimino-acetamido]-3-hydroxymethylceph-3- em-4-carboxylic acid with a halosulphonyl isocyanate in an alkyl acetate solvent, hydrolyzing the resulting intermediate product, forming sodium cefuroxime by the addition of the sodium salt of a weak acid and isolating the sodium cefuroxime in high purity. The use of methyl acetate is particularly preferred and reaction can be carried out at from -25.degree. to +25.degree. C. The hydrolysis, generally in situ, may be carried out at from 10.degree. to 30.degree. C. Fewer steps are required than in previous processes and the product is of higher purity.

Abstract: A substantially non-hygroscopic sodium salt of (6R,7R)-3-acetoxymethyl-7-[(Z)-2-(fur-2-yl)-2-methoxyiminoacetamido]ceph-3 -em-4-carboxylic acid. The salt is crystalline and may be prepared by crystallization from an ethanolic solvent medium containing not greater than about 6% by volume of water. The salt exhibits antibiotic properties and may be formulated in pharmaceutical compositions for human or veterinary medicine.