Triterpenoids functionalized at C-2 as diagenetic transformation products of 2,3-dioxygenated triterpenoids from higher plants in buried wood.

Several oleanane-related triterpenoids bearing a unique C-2 oxygenated functionality have been identified as the predominant triterpenoids from a 4900 year old oak wood sample buried in a freshwater sediment. They likely represent specific molecular tools that can be used as markers to reconstruct past vegetation assemblages, or to recognise severely altered oak wood at archaeological sites.