Novel compounds of the formula wherein A is -CH=CH-B; -C IDENTICAL C-B; -(CH2)p-X-B, wherein p is 0-2 and X is a bond, -NH- or-S(O)0-2; optionally substituted heteroaryl or benzofused heteroaryl; -C(O)-B; or wherein k is 1-2; D is B'-(CH2)mC(O)-, wherein m is 1-5; B'-(CH2)q-, wherein q is 2-6; B'-(CH2)e-Z-(CH2)r-, wherein Z is -O-, -C(O)-, phenylene, -NR8- or -S(O)0-2-, e is 0-5 and r is 1-5, provided that the sum of e and r is 1-6; B'-(alkenylene)-; B'-(alkadienylene)-; B'-(CH2)t-Z-(alkenylene), wherein t is 0-3, provided that the sum of t and the number of carbon atoms in the alkenylene chain is 2-6; B'-(CH2)f-V-(CH2)g-, wherein V is cycloalkylene, f is 1-5 and g is 0-5, provided that the sum of f and g is 1-6; B'-(CH2)t-V-(alkenylene) or B'-(alkenylene)-V-(CH2)t-, provided that the sum of t and the number of carbon atoms in the alkenylene chain is 2-6; B'-(CH2)a-Z-(CH2)b-V-(CH2)d-, wherein a, b and d are 0-6, provided that the sum of a, b and d is 0-6; T(CH2)s-, wherein T is cycloalkyl and s is 1-6; 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-(CH2)h-, wherein h is 0-3; R4 is optionally substituted phenyl, indanyl, benzofuranyl, tetrahydronaphthyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl or quinolyl; are disclosed, as well as their use as hypocholesterolemic agents; the method of using compounds of the formula II wherein R20 is optionally substituted phenyl, optionally substituted naphthyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, or optionally substituted benzofused heteroaryl, R21, R22 and R23 are independently selected from H or R20; 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 R21-E and R22-F is selected from the group consisting of halogeno, OH, alkoxy, -OC(O)R5, -NR10R11, -SH or -S(alkyl); R5 is alkyl, phenyl, R14-phenyl, benzyl or R14-benzyl; R10 and R11 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.