Prodrugs of antihypercholesterolemic compounds

A compound represented by the general structural formula (I):

• ##STR19## wherein:
• n is 1 to 6;
• R is selected from a group consisting of:
• ##STR20## wherein:
• m is 1 to 5;
• R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl;
• A is ##STR21## in which R.sup.2 is hydrogen or hydroxyl;
• B is ##STR22## in which R.sup.3 is hydrogen or hydroxyl;
• a, b, c and d represent single bonds, one of a, b, c and d represents a double bond or both a and c or both b and d represent double bonds, provided that when a is a double bond, A is ##STR23## and when d is a double bond, B is ##STR24## or ##STR25## wherein:
• E is --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -- or --CH.dbd.CH--;
• R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently C.sub.1-3 alkyl, fluoro, bromo or chloro;
• and
• R.sup.6 is phenyl, benzyloxy, substituted phenyl or substituted benzyloxy in which the phenyl group in each case is substituted with one or more substituents selected from C.sub.1-3 alkyl, hydroxy-C.sub.1-3 alkyl fluoro, bromo or chloro;
• R.sup.7 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-8 alkyl;
• R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 independently are hydrogen or C.sub.1-8 alkyl or when taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a heterocycle selected from the group consisting of piperidinyl, pyrrolidinyl, or morpholinyl;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.