Patent ID: 7416865

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of Formula (5) which comprises: a) preparing a compound of Formula (1) b) reacting the compound of Formula (1) with 2,2-dimethoxypropane to form an acetonide; and c) removing the group R′—(C═O)—; wherein X represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl linking group, and R and R′ each independently represent an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group, and wherein the process for preparing the compound of Formula (1) comprises either a) the stereoselective reduction of a compound of Formula (2) to produce a compound of Formula (3), and b) esterification of the compound of Formula (3) in the presence of a compound of formula R″—O—COR′ and a lipase or hydrolase enzyme thereby to form the compound of Formula (1); or c) esterification of a compound of Formula (2) in the presence of a compound of formula R″—O—COR′ and a lipase or hydrolase enzyme thereby to form a compound of Formula (4), and d) the stereoselective reduction of the compound of Formula (4) to produce the compound of Formula (1) wherein X, R and R′ are as defined above, and R″ represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group.