Described is the use of benzotropolone and their derivatives, especially the compounds of formula (1); wherein R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 independently of one another are hydrogen; OH; C.sub.1-C.sub.30alkyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.30al-kenyl, C.sub.1-C.sub.30alkoxy, C.sub.3-C.sub.12cycloalkyl or C.sub.1C.sub.30hydroxyalkyl, which may be substituted by one or more E and/or interrupted by one or more D; C.sub.6-C.sub.20aryl, which may be substituted by one or more G; C.sub.4-C.sub.20heteroaryl, which may be substituted by one or more G, C.sub.2-C.sub.18alkenyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.18alkynyl, C.sub.7-C.sub.25aralkyl, CN, or COR.sub.17; C.sub.1-C.sub.30mono- or dialkylamino; COR.sub.9; COOR.sub.9; CONR.sub.9R.sub.10; CN; SO.sub.2R.sub.9; OCOOR.sub.9; OCOR.sub.9; NHCOOR.sub.9; NR.sub.9COR.sub.10; NH.sub.2; *(CO)NH(CH.sub.2).sub.n1(PO)(OR.sub.11).sub.2; (CO)O(CH.sub.2).sub.n1(PO)(OR.sub.11).sub.2; sulphate; sulphonate; phosphate; phosphonate; (CH.sub.2).sub.n2[O(SO.sub.2)].sub.n3OR.sub.11; O(CH.sub.2).sub.n4(CO).sub.n5R.sub.11; (O).sub.n6(CH.sub.2).sub.n7(PO)(OR.sub.9).sub.2; (O).sub.n6(CH.sub.2).sub.n7SO.sub.2OR.sub.9; halogen; organosilanyl; organo-siloxanyl; or a sugar residue linked directly in an - or -mode via the anomeric oxygen to the benzotropolone system or via a linear or branched alkylene, alkenylene, alkadiene or alkatriene spacer (sugar-(CH.sub.2).sub.n(X.sub.1).sub.1 or 0-benzotropolone system, wherein n=1-10 and X.sub.1O; (CO); OCO; COO, NH; S; SO.sub.2); R.sub.1, R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 independently of one another are hydrogen; C.sub.1C.sub.12alkyl or C.sub.3-C.sub.12-cycloalkyl, which may be substituted by one or more E and/or interrupted by one or more D; C.sub.6-C.sub.20aryl, which may be substituted by one or more G; C.sub.4-C.sub.20heteroaryl, which may be substituted by one or more G, C.sub.2-C.sub.18alkenyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.18alkynyl, C.sub.7-C.sub.25aralkyl, or COOR.sub.9; COR.sub.9; CONR.sub.9R.sub.10; SO.sub.3R.sub.9; SO.sub.2R.sub.9; PO.sub.3(R.sub.9).sub.2; PO.sub.2(R.sub.9).sub.2; organosilanyl; organosiloxanyl; or a sugar residue linked directly in an - or -mode via the anomeric oxygen to the benzotropolone system or via a linear or branched alkylene, alkenylene, alkadiene or alkatriene spacer (sugar-(CH.sub.2).sub.n(X.sub.2).sub.1 or 0*, wherein n=1-10 and X.sub.2C(O); OCO*); R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 independently from each other are hydrogen; C.sub.1C.sub.18alkyl or C.sub.3-C.sub.12-cycloalkyl which may be substituted by one or more E and/or interrupted by one or more D; C.sub.6-C.sub.20aryl, which may be substituted by one or more G; C.sub.4-C.sub.20heteroaryl, which may be substituted by one or more G; organosilanyl; organosiloxany

The present invention provides triterpenoids produced from natural compounds such as oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, and hederagenin.

The present invention provides triterpenoids produced from natural compounds such as oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, and hederagenin.

A method of reducing an aromatic ring or a cyclic, allylic ether in a compound includes preparing a reaction mixture including a compound including an aromatic moiety or a cyclic, allylic ether moiety, an alkali metal, and either ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, or a combination thereof, in an ether solvent; and reacting the reaction mixture at from 20 C. to 30 C. for a time sufficient to reduce a double bond in the aromatic moiety to a single bond or to reduce the cyclic, allylic ether moiety.

A method of reducing an aromatic ring or a cyclic, allylic ether in a compound includes preparing a reaction mixture including a compound including an aromatic moiety or a cyclic, allylic ether moiety, an alkali metal, and either ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, or a combination thereof, in an ether solvent; and reacting the reaction mixture at from 20 C. to 30 C. for a time sufficient to reduce a double bond in the aromatic moiety to a single bond or to reduce the cyclic, allylic ether moiety.