Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
Process for preparing simvastatin
The present invention relates to an improved process for preparing simvastatin and more particularly, the improved process for preparing simvastatin expressed by formula 1 with high yield and high purity by performing the following sequential processes comprising: (i) hydrolysis of lovastatin as starting material with potassium t-butoxide in an organic solvent and small amount of water under a mild reaction condition, followed by lactonization of the obtained solid intermediate with preventing from formation of by-products; (ii) protection of an alcohol group with t-butyldimethylsilyl group which can be easily removed with concentrated hydrochloric acid without the formation of by-products; (iii) acylation of the obtained protected intermediate with acyloxytriphenyl phosphonium salt as an acylating agent under a mild reaction condition; and (iv) removal of the silyl protective group with a concentrated hydrochloric acid. The present invention is to provide the improved process of preparing simvastatin expressed by formula 1 environmentally sound, economically efficient, and industrially useful.
Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp.
A C A Y
A61P C07D A61P Y02P
inventional inventional inventional additional
Chung Il Tae Won Hee Jong Dong Ock Jung Woo
Hong Kang Shin Cho Kim