noun
- a cyclic amide compound formed by the intramolecular condensation of an amino acid
Usage: chemistry
Examples
- Beta-lactam antibiotics like penicillin contain a four-membered lactam ring.
- The chemist synthesized a new lactam compound in the laboratory.
- Lactam formation occurs when the amino group reacts with the carboxyl group.
- Many pharmaceutical drugs contain lactam structures.
- The stability of the lactam ring affects the drug’s effectiveness.
- Researchers studied the lactam’s role in antibiotic resistance.