A process for producing a simvastatin precursor

摘要

This invention provides an easy and efficient process for producing a simvastatin of great use as an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, which comprises deacylation of lovastatin with an inorganic base and a secondary or tertiary alcohol and subjecting the resulting did lactone to selective protection with a ketal or acetal protective group, acylation and deprotection-lactonization to give simvastatin.