A novel and practical synthesis of the 6.alpha.-hydroxymethyl metabolite of simvastatin

The synthesis of the 6α-hydroxymethyl metabolite of simvastatin described here is predicted on the conversion of iodoepoxides 7 to the cyclic ether 8 via a novel radical catalytic cycle in which the rearrangement of the epoxycarbinyl radical to the allyloxy radical and the atom-transfer radical reaction are the key elements to the success of this process