 Cefotaxime (1) is a potent cephalosporin antibiotic in its own right.Further modification of this drug by inclusion of a quaternary ammonium cation gives a compound suitable for parenteral administration by increasing water solubility.The acid in cefotaxime is first protected as its silyl ester (2) by derivatization with "N"-methyl-"N"-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA).