Process of lactonization in the preparation of statins
US5939564A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 6, 1998 |
| Grant date | Aug 17, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 6, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC07D309/30
- WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A novel process of lactonizaton in the preparation of statins (e.g., the HMG--CoA reductase inhibitors lovastatin and simvastatin) employs very mild reaction conditions. The improved process comprises dissolving the open ring hydroxy acid form of the statins in an organic solvent by heating at a temperature, which ranges from ambient to reflux of the solvent, under anhydrous conditions to produce a solution, treating the solution with a mild catalyst at a temperature from about ambient to 50.degree. C., and adding water to the solution to cause the statins in lactone form to crystalize from the reaction mixture. The mild catalyst used in the reaction is a salt of an organic base with an organic or inorganic acid, such as pyridine hydrobromide, pyridine hydrochloride, or pyridinium, p-toluene sulfonate. The organic solvent comprises a lower alkanol, a non-alcoholic polar solvent, or a mixture of the two.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.