HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and method

A compound having the structure:

• wherein
• Z is
• also referred to as the δ-lactone;
• n is 0 or 1;
• x is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• y is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, provided that at least one of x and y is other than 0;
• and optionally one or more carbons of (CH2)x and/or one or more carbons of (CH2)y together with additional carbons form a 3 to 7 membered spirocyclic ring;
• R1 and R2 are the same or different and are independently selected from alkyl, arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl or cycloheteroalkyl;
• R3 is H or lower alkyl;
• R4 is halogen, CF3, hydroxy, alkoxy, carboxyl, carboxyalkyl-, aminoalkyl, amino, alkanoylamino, aroylamino, cyano, alkoxyCON(R10)—, R11R12NCO2—, R11R12NCO—, R13SO2N(R10)—, R11R12NSO2N(R10)—, R13OCO2— or R13OCO;
• R13 is alkyl, arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl or cycloheteroalkyl;
• R11 and R12, and R10 are the same or different and are independently selected from H, alkyl, arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl or cycloheteroalkyl;
• R7 is H or lower alkyl;
• and represents a single bond or a double bond (which may be cis or trans);
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof (when R3 is H), or an ester thereof, or a stereoisomer thereof.