[reaction: see text] Epiasarinin, an endo-endo furofuran, has been synthesized from piperonal via a five-step route with good stereocontrol. The sequence involves Darzens condensation, alkenyl epoxide-dihydrofuran rearrangement, and a Lewis acid mediated cyclization.

A strategy for the stereoselective synthesis of all the possible diastereoisomers of the 2,6-diaryl-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane (furofuran) lignans from a single dihydrofuran precursor is described. The key steps involve a diastereocontrolled templated cationic cyclization followed by stereoselective reduction of the resulting methyl glycoside.