Novel compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein A is --CH.dbd.CH--B; --C.tbd.C--B; --(CH.sub.2).sub.p --X--B, and X is a bone, --NH-- or --S(O).sub.0-2 --; optionally substituted heteroaryl or benzofused heteroaryl; --C(O)--B; or ##STR2## D is B'--(CH.sub.2).sub.m C(O)--, B'--(CH.sub.2).sub.q --, B'--(CH.sub.2).sub.e --Z--(CH.sub.2).sub.r, wherein Z is --O--, --C(O)--, phenylene, --NR.sub.8 -- or --S(O).sub.0-2 --, B'--(alkenylene)--; B'--(alkadienylene)--; B'--(CH.sub.2).sub.t --Z--(alkenylene), B'--(CH.sub.2).sub.f --V--(CH.sub.2).sub.g --, wherein V is cycloalkylene, B'--(CH.sub.2).sub.t --V--(alkenylene) or B'--(alkenylene)--V--(CH.sub.2).sub.t --, B'--(CH.sub.2).sub.a --Z--(CH.sub.2).sub.b --V--(CH.sub.2).sub.d --, T--(CH.sub.2).sub.s --, wherein T is cycloalkyl; naphthylmethyl or optionally substituted heteroarylmethyl; B is optionally substituted phenyl; B' is naphthyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl or optionally substituted phenyl; R is hydrogen, fluoro, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or B--(CH.sub.2).sub.n --; R.sub.4 is optionally substituted phenyl, indanyl, benzofuranyl, tetrahydronaphthyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl or quinolyl; are disclosed, the method of using compounds of the formula II ##STR3## wherein R.sub.20 is optionally substituted phenyl, naphthyl, heteroaryl, or benzofused heteroaryl, R.sub.21, R.sub.22 and R.sub.23 are H or R.sub.20 ; E, F and G are independently a bond; cycloalkylene; alkylene; alkenylene; alkynylene; a substituted alkylene, alkenylene or alkynylene chain; an interrupted alkylene, alkenylene or alkynylene chain; or an interrupted alkylene, alkenylene or alkynylene chain substituted by one or more substituents; or one of R.sub.21 --E and R.sub.22 --F is selected from the group consisting of halogeno, OH, alkoxy, --OC(O)R.sub.5, --NR.sub.10 R.sub.11, --SH or --S(alkyl); R.sub.5 is alkyl, phenyl, R.sub.14 -phenyl, benzyl or R.sub.14 -benzyl; R.sub.10 and R.sub.11 are independently selected from H and lower alkyl, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in a pharmaceutically aceptable carrier as hypocholesterolemic agents is also disclosed.