A β-Lactam is a four-membered lactam ring, a type of cyclic amide, that is characterized by a nitrogen atom directly connected to the β-carbon relative to the carbonyl group. They are crucial structures in several antibiotics, such as penicillins, due to their ability to inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis.
A group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi that contain the β-Lactam ring structure and are used to treat bacterial infections by inhibiting cell wall synthesis