2-Methyl-2, 5-dimethoxy-2, 5-dihydrofuran (4), a cyclic acetal of cis-3-acetylacrolein (3), reacts with L-ascorbic acid (1) in aqueous solution to give amorphous 2-(5-methyl-2-furyl)-3- keto-~-gulonolactone 3, 6-hemiketal (6) as the major product. The reaction mechanism most likely involves cis-3-acetylacrolein, Le., 4-keto-cis-2-pentenal (3) as an intermediate. Hemiketal6 was converted with succinic anhydride into a crystalline molecular complex 8a ...