| abstract |
The invention relates to the synthesis of simvastatin by direct methylation of lovastatin, by selective hydrolysis of residual lovastatin, acid of lovastatin or a salt thereof by treatment with a bacterium to a fungus capable of hydrolyzing the side chain. 2-methyl-butyryloxy or a mutant of this microbe or a cell-free extract derived from this microbe, or a hydrolase derived from this same microbe. This process produces the acid 7- [1 ', 2', 6 ', 7', 8 ', 8a' (R) -hexahydro-2 '(S), 6' (R) -dimethyl-8 '(S ) -hydroxy-1 '(S) naphthyl] -3 (R), 5 (R) -dihydroxy-heptanoic acid, triol acid, or triol salt which can be easily separated from simvastatin, either before or after lactonization to obtain lactone. This process produces simvastatin in high yield and purity. |