carbonate and a catalyst e g an alkali metal iodide at a temperature up to reflux temperature for the solvent used for e g 1 to 120 h if esters have been prepared in which r 6 is alkoxy compounds of formula i wherein r 6 is alkoxy compounds of formula i wherein r 6 is oh are prepared by hydrolysis of the ester group preferably at room temperature in a mixture of an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution and an alcohol such as methanol or ethanol for about 0 5 to 6 h compounds of formula i in which r 4 and r 5 does not represent a bond z does not represent s ch u2550 ch ch u2550 ch ch 2 or ch 2 ch u2550 ch and y represents gt ch ch 2 are prepared by method b str3 a compound of formula iv wherein r 1 r 2 r 4 r 5 r 6 r s p q m n and z are as defined above except that r 4 and r 5 must not represent a bond and z must not be s ch u2550 ch ch u2550 ch ch 2 or ch 2 ch u2550 ch is hydrogenated to give i this reduction is carried.