The Molecular Structure of Penicillin

The chemical structure of penicillin was determined between 1942 and 1945 under conditions of secrecy established by the U.S. and U.K. governments. The evidence was not published in the open literature but as a monograph. This complex volume does not present a structure proof that can be readily comprehended by a student. In this article, a basic structural proof for the penicillin molecule is provided, emphasizing the chemical work. The stereochemistry of penicillin is also described, and various rearrangements are considered on the basis of the accepted β-lactam structure.