The present invention relates to two novel pyrrole derivatives [3-Phenyl-4-(phenylcarbamoyl)-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-(1-methylethyl)-pyrrole-1-yl]methyl(diphenyl)phosphine oxide and Diethyl [3-Phenyl-4-(phenylcarbamoyl)-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-(1-methylethyl)-pyrrole-1-yl]methylphosphonate. These pyrrole derivatives can be used as intermediates for the synthesis of the anticholesterol drug atorvastatin.
A novel and efficient synthetic method of atorvastatin was described. The key step of the synthesis was the construction of the olefin linkage between the chiral side chain and skeleton via a Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction, resulting in the advanced intermediate of atorvastatin under hydrogenation of the olefin over Pd/C. This novel method is more useful for the practical synthesis of atorvastatin