Conformational analysis of meropenem and desmethyl meropenem: the effect of 1β-methyl group on carbapenem antibiotics

The conformations of meropenem and desmethyl meropenem have been studied using MM calculations and 1H NMR experiments. It was found that the preferred conformation of meropenem was relatively linear compared with desmethyl meropenem in aqueous solution.