Nitrocefin is a chromogenic cephalosporin used to detect β-lactamases in bacteria. Although it is a cephalosporin, it does not appear to have antimicrobial properties, but has useful diagnostic properties. Structurally, it contains a β-lactam ring which is susceptible to β-lactamase mediated hydrolysis. Once hydrolyzed, the degraded compound changes color from yellow to red. Nitrocefin can be used as a reagent in β-lactamase activity studies.
Nitrocefin is soluble in DMSO.