| abstract |
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of intermediates, which can suitably be used in the preparation of active pharmaceutical ingredients, in particular in the preparation of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, more in particular in the preparation of statines, for example lovastatin, cerivastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, atorvastatin or fluvastatin, most in particular of atorvastatin. The intermediates are prepared according to the process of the invention by reaction of (enantiomerically enriched) 6-chloromethyl-4-hydroxy-tetrahydro-pyran- 2-one or the ring opened formed thereof with cyanide in the presence of a haloalcohol dehalogenase, preferably HheA from Arthrobacter sp. strain AD2. |