Asymmetric Synthesis of the HMG‐CoA Reductase Inhibitor Atorvastatin Calcium: An Organocatalytic Anhydride Desymmetrization and Cyanide‐Free Side Chain Elongation Approach.

An efficient asymmetric synthesis of atorvastatin calcium has been achieved from commercially available diethyl 3-hydroxyglutarate through a novel approach that involves an organocatalytic enantioselective cyclic anhydride desymmetrization to establish C(3) stereogenicity and cyanide-free assembly of C7 amino type side chain via C5+C2 strategy as the key transformations.