Abstract: 3'-Deoxykanamycin A useful as antibacterial agent is produced from a protected kanamycin A derivative either by a process comprising imidazolylthiocarbonylation of the 3'- and 2"-hydroxyl groups of 4",6"-O-cyclohexylidene-4'-0:6'-N-carbonyl-5,2'-O-isopropylidene-1,3,3"-tr i-N-tosylkanamycin A, preferential removal of the 3'-imidazolylthiocarbonyloxy group with tributyltin hydride for the 3'-deoxygenation, followed by removal of the 2"-O-imidazolylthiocarbonyl group with aqueous ammonia, removal of the N-tosyl groups with alkali or alkaline earth metal in liquid ammonia, hydrolytic fission of the 4',6'-cyclic carbamate ring and concurrent removal of the 5,2'-O-isopropylidene group and 4",6"-O-cyclohexylidene group, or by a process comprising selective acetylation of the 2"-hydroxyl group of said protected kanamycin A derivative with acetyl chloride in pyridine, trifluoromethanesulfonylation of the 3'-hydroxyl group, followed by concurrent removal of the 3'-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy group and N-tosyl groups w

Abstract: Aminoglycosidic antibiotic comprising a 6-0-(3"-aminoglycosyl)-2-deoxystreptamine optionally having a 4-0-(aminogycosyl) group, such as kanamycins, gentamicins, sisomicin, forms reversible complex with zinc cations by association of the zinc cations with some pairs of aminohydroxyl groups in the aminoglycoside, and the zinc-complexed amino groups are blocked from acylation. Reaction of this zinc complex with an acylation reagent having an amino-blocking acyl group brings about acylation of the non-complexed amino groups to give an N-acylated zinc complex, namely a complex of zinc cation with an N-acylated aminoglycosidic antibiotic derivative. Removal of zinc cations from N-acylated zinc complex yields a partially N-acylated aminoglycosidic antibiotic where 1- and 3"-amino groups are unprotected but all other amino groups protected with acyl group.