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 than its document reported methods.
