Pivaloyloxymethyl ester of cefoperazone was synthesized by treating sodium cefoperazone with chloromethyl pivalate and its chemical structure was determined by spectroscopic trials. The pharmaceutical properties of the ester were investigated to assess its potential as a prodrug of cefo perazone. Cefoperazone pivaloyloxymethyl ester was microbiologically inactive itself in vitro, but hydrolyzed into the parent drug in vivo. After a single oral dose of each drug to rabbits, serum concentrations of cefoperazone were determined by high performance liquid chromatographic assay. The ester showed higher and more sustained blood level than cefoperazone. Therefore, the total area under the serum concentration-time curve of the derivative was 16.8 times larger than that of the parent drug.