Abstract
A new route to tetrahydrofurofurane lignans 8 is present, which starts with substituted benzoate following a 7 step syntheses, and is distinctly shorter, more economic and efficient than any of the previous approaches to the target reported in the literature. The key step to establish the first furane ring 2 benefits the remarkable ease of the Diels-Alder reaction of 2,4-diaryloxazole 1 with 2-butyne-1,4-diol diacetate.