Abstract Efficient synthesis is essential for antimalarial therapeutics. A four-step route has been established for the synthesis of 7-(2-carboxyethyl)-1, 3-dihydro-1-hydroxy-2, 1- benzoxaborole 1 that is a potent new class boron-containing antimalarial agent in preclinical development with IC 50= 26 nM against the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.