The condensation of 4-carboxy-3-hydroxy-5-mercaptoisothiazol (I) with 7beta-bromoacetamido-7alpha-methoxycephalosporanic acid (II) gives 7beta-(4-carboxy-3-hydroxyisothiazol-5-yl)thioacetamido-7alpha-methoxycephalosporanic acid (III), which by treatment with NaHCO3 in hot water is converted into 7beta-[4-(carbamoyl)(carboxy)methylene-1,3-dithietan-2-yl]carboxamido-7alpha-methoxycephalosporanic acid (IV). Finally, this compound is condensed with 5-mercapto-1-methyltetrazol (V) by means of Na2CO3 in water.