Methanolysis of a ${eta}$-lactam ring of a cephalosporin was simulated with AM1 semiempirical quantum mechanical calculation. The tetrahedral intermediate TD1 from an O-protonated cephalosporin and a methanol transfers the proton intramolecularly to the C-4 carboxylate to generate an oxyanion, i.e., second tetrahedral intermediate TD2, which undergoes the amide bond cleavage without further protonation on the N-5. For this cleavage a low-energy barrier TS2 was located. According to the energy diagram, tetrahedral intermediates easily undergo ring cleavage even without the protonation on the amide nitrogen.