Confirmation of our initial hit structure as well as the relative stereochemistry of the substituent on the furan ring was accomplished via an independent synthesis. Synthesis of 1, Scheme 1 and Scheme 2 was achieved based on a literature procedure 10 and is outlined in Scheme 1. Commercially available indan-1,3-dione was condensed with p-chlorobenzaldehyde in the presence of a catalytic amount of piperidine to give the corresponding benzylidene. Base- ...