Page 1. Pfaendler, Gosteli, Woodward / Racemic 6-a-Hydroxyethylpenemcarboxylic Acids 2039 The Penems, a New Class of @-Lactam Antibiotics. 5. Total Synthesis of Racemic 6-a-Hydroxyethylpenemcarboxylic Acids HR Pfaendler,* J. Gosteli, and RB Woodward+ Contribution from the Woodwurd Research Institute, CH-4002, Bnsel, Switzerland. Received October 15, 1979 Abstract: The novel racemic threo-trans-6-cu-hydroxyethylpenem-3-carboxyIic ...