Novel Monoaromatic triterpenoid hydrocarbons occuring in sediments

Three monoaromatic pentacyclic triterpenoids of the lupane, ursane and oleanane series, and a monoaromatic tetracyclic triterpenoid of the lupane series have been synthesised and shown to occur in several geological samples. Such compounds arise by microbial degradation of their respective 3-oxy-precursors.