In the present invention, there is disclosed an easy and efficient process for preparing a simvastatin of great use as an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, which preparation process comprises deacylation of lovastatin with an inorganic base and a secondary or tertiary alcohol and subjecting the resulting lactone-group containing diol to selective protection with a ketal or acetal protective group, acylation and deprotection-lactonization to give simvastatin.

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 diol lactone to selective protection with a ketal or acetal protective group, acylation and deprotection-lactonization to give simvastatin.

A convenient, efficient and industrially favorable process for producing simvastatin which is useful as an HMG-coA reductase inhibitor. This process comprises deacylating lovastatin by treating with an inorganic base and a secondary or tertiary alcohol to thereby form diol lactone, and then selectively protecting, acylating, deblocking and lactonizing the diol lactone by using a ketal or acetal protective group to thereby give simvastatin.

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.

A convenient, efficient and industrially favorable process for producing simvastatin which is useful as an HMG-coA reductase inhibitor. This process comprises deacylating lovastatin by treating with an inorganic base and a secondary or tertiary alcohol to thereby form diol lactone, and then selectively protecting, acylating, deblocking and lactonizing the diol lactone by using a ketal or acetal protective group to thereby give simvastatin.

A convenient, efficient and industrially favorable process for producing simvastatin which is useful as an HMG-coA reductase inhibitor. This process comprises deacylating lovastatin by treating with an inorganic base and a secondary or tertiary alcohol to thereby form diol lactone, and then selectively protecting, acylating, deblocking and lactonizing the diol lactone by using a ketal or acetal protective group to thereby give simvastatin.