Abstract: Process for the preparation of 1'-ethoxy carbonyloxy ethyl esters of penicillins, wherein a compound of the formula ##STR1## in which A is phenyl, phenoxy or 4-hydroxyphenyl, B is hydrogen, an amino group or a protected amino group and Z is hydrogen or a cation selected from the group of alkali metal, tri (lower alkyl ) ammonium and tetra (lower alkyl) ammonium, is reacted with 1-bromoethyl ethyl carbonate in an organic solvent and when B is a protected amino group the protecting group is split off to yield a primary amino group.There are also provided novel compounds of the formula ##STR2## in which Ph is phenyl and R is CH.sub.3 -- or C.sub.2 H.sub.5 --.

Abstract: 4(5)-Hydroxymethyl-5(4)-methylimidazole (MHI) is prepared by a process comprising the steps of:(a) reacting 4-methylimidazole (MI) with from 1.05 to 1.1 moles of formaldehyde or an equivalent amount of paraformaldehyde per mole of MI, in a concentrated aqueous NaCl solution in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a strong inorganic base, at a temperature from about 20.degree. to about 60.degree. C.;(b) neutralizing the reaction mixture with concentrated aqueous hydrochloric acid to a pH of 8.5-8.9 to obtain a precipitate of MHI free base; and(c) separating the precipitate thus obtained from the aqueous solution and washing it with cold water or acetone.The MHI free base thus obtained can further be converted to an acid addition salt thereof.