The invention provides compounds for activating the activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) arm of the unfolded protein response (UPR), or activating the transcriptional targets of ATF6, in the endoplasmic reticulum of a cell, the compounds being of any of formulas (I) through (IX) as described herein. The compounds can be used for treatment of conditions involving gain-of-toxic-function and loss-of-function folding disorders including lysosomal storage diseases, antitrypsin-associated emphysema and similar diseases. These molecules are also expected to have disease-ameliorating effects in Alzheimer's disease and diabetes.