Methods of treating or preventing insulin resistance and associated diseases and conditions

A method of activating transcriptional activity of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) or inducing the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in an animal in need thereof comprising administering to the animal an effective amount of a compound of formula (I):

• or an epimer thereof;
• wherein
• Ar is an aryl group, optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 hydroxyalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, halo, and nitro;
• X is O, NH, or S;
• R2 and R3 are independently a C1-C6 alkyl;
• R1 is isopropyl or isopropylenyl;
• “a” is a single bond or a double bond;
• when “a” is a double bond, R4 is hydrogen, and R5 is halo or H;
• when “a” is a single bond, R4 is selected from the group consisting of halo, hydroxy, and C1-C6 alkoxy and R5 is halo or H;
• and
• R6 is H, C1-C6 alkyl carbonyl, or hydroxy C1-C6 alkyl carbonyl.