A highly enantioselective synthesis of (+)-and (−)-fluvastatin and their analogues has been facilitated by the reaction of an aldehyde with diketene in the presence of Ti (Oi-Pr) 4 and a chiral Schiff base ligand. Either enantiomer of the Schiff base could be employed to obtain (+)-or (−)-fluvastatin. Diastereoselective reductions of the resultant keto moiety of β-hydroxy ketoesters provided the syn-1, 3-diol esters (91% ee), which were subsequently ...
