Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Analysis of Atorvastatin and its Intermediates

Atorvastatin, a lipid-lowering drug that is widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, has significant clinical significance. This article focuses on the synthetic procedures of atorvastatin, including Paal-Knorr synthesis and several new synthetic strategies. It also outlines chemical and chemo-enzymatic methods for synthesizing optically active side chain of atorvastatin. In addition, a comprehensive overview of the analytical monitoring techniques for atorvastatin and its metabolites and impurities is reported, alongside a discussion of their strengths and limitations.