The present invention provides an industrially advantageous, improved acylation process for the preparation of cephalosporin, cefprozil which comprises the N-acylation of a silylated derivative of 7-amino-3-(1-propen-1-yl)-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid with D-(-)--2-(p-hydroxyphenyl)glycyl cholride hydrochloride.