Progress on total synthesis and their divergent transformations of aryltetrahydrofuran-type lignans

Total synthesis of biologically important tetrahydrofuran (THF) lignan natural products with different substituted types was first summarized, and the construction strategies of THF rings was especially focused. Furthermore, divergent transformations of these THF lignans to other polycyclic lignan natural products were introduced simultaneously, demonstrating plausible biosynthetic relationships among them. We wish that this review would stimulate the development of new synthetic methods to THF lignan natural products and beyond.