<p>DIACETYLENE DIOL DERIVATIVES AND PROCESS FOR PREPARING THE SAME The present invention relates to a process for preparing squalane which consists of (a) submitting a compound of the general formula: (I) wherein R and R' are the same or different and each represent a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon residue having 11 carbon atoms and possessing the following carbon atom skeleton: each said residue being optionally substituted by a radical capable of being replaced by a hydrogen atom upon hydrogenolysis; to hydrogenolysis in the presence of an acidic substance; or (b) submitting a compound of the general formula: (I) wherein R and R' are as defined above; to partial hydrogenation to obtain a corresponding intermediate compound with triple bonds converted to double bonds, and then subjecting the intermediate compound to hydrogenolysis. This process enables squalane to be produced by means other than the hydrogenation of the squalane portion from sharks liver oil.</p>
