A novel synthesis of naphtoh［2,1-d］oxazol-5-ol, a model compound for the benzoxazole moiety of marine natural products nakijinols A and B, was achieved in five steps in 35% overall yield starting from commercially available 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone. The synthesis involved the following crucial steps: ⅰ reduction of an N-Boc-protected 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquione; ⅱ protection of the resulting 2-aminohydronaphthoquinone as its diformate form; ⅲ a simultaneous N-Boc-deprotection and cyclization of the resulting diformate to construct an oxazole ring.