A series of stereochemically pure 7-(3-amino-2-methyl-1-azetidinyl)-1,4- dihydro-6-fluoro-4-oxoquinoline- and -1,8-naphthyridine-3-carboxylic acids, with varied substituents at the 1-, 5-, and 8-positions, was prepared to determine the effects of chirality on potency and in vivo efficacy relative to the racemic mixtures (for part 2, see: J. Med. Chem. 1994, 37, 4195-4210). A series of chiral 9-fluoro-2,3-dihydro-3-methyl-7-oxo-10-(substituted-1- azetidinyl)-7H-pyrido[1,2,3- de]-1,4-benzoxazine-6-carboxylic acids was synthesized to study the effect of the azetidine moiety on tricyclic quinolone antibacterial agents. A series of amino acid prodrugs of chiral naphthyridines 24a and 24b and quinolone 33a (cetefloxacin) was prepared and evaluated for antibacterial activity, solubility, and pharmacokinetic behavior. The absolute configuration of the new azetidinylquinolones was established by X-ray analysis of one of the diastereomeric salts of the resolved azetidinols (15) and of compound 25a (E-4767), which showed the best in vitro and in vivo overall profile. Structure-activity relationship studies indicated that the absolute stereochemistry at the asymmetric centers of both the azetidine and the oxazine rings was critical to increase in vitro activity and oral efficacy. The 3S configuration in the pyridobenzoxazine series and the (2S,3R) configuration of the 3-amino-2-methylazetidine moiety for all new compounds conferred the best antibacterial activity.