An enantioselective total synthesis of bioactive melodorinol and acetylmelodorinol starting from 2, 3-O-isopropylidene-d-glyceraldehyde and an alkoxyfuran is reported. Lithiation of the alkoxyfuran and subsequent reaction with the glyceraldehyde provided two diastereomers. These two adducts were treated with p-toluenesulfonic acid in aqueous THF to give a γ-propylidene butenolide, which was converted to melodorinol and ...