2-pyrrolidone substituted dihydroxy alkanoic, alkenoic and alkynoic acids, compositions and HMG-CoA reductase inhibition therewith

摘要

Antihypercholesterolemic activity has been discovered in compounds of the formula ##STR1## and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein: Z is ##STR2## X is lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, or lower alkenyl; R.sup.1 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkylaryl, or substituted aryl having one or more substituents; andPP one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is hydrogen and the other is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkylaryl or alkenyl aryl; or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are both lower alkyl; or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 together complete a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon ring that is cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl with substituents as defined in the specification.