A new method for the preparation of the 2, 3, 3a,8a-tetrahydro-2-hydroxyfuro[2, 3-b] benzofuran, XXX, ring system has been developed. The synthesis envolved a substitution reaction of phenol, XXIV, with 1-bromo-2, 5-hexadiene, XXV, to give 2, 5-hexadien-l -yl phenyl ether, XXVII. The ether was rearranged via an ortho-Claisen rearrangement to 3-(o-hydroxyphenyl)-l,...