A practical total synthesis of both enantiomers of epoxyquinols A and B has been developed. Key reactions are the chromatography-free preparation of an iodolactone by using acryloyl chloride as dienophile in the Diels-Alder reaction of furan, the lipase-mediated kinetic resolution of a cyclohexenol derivative, and a modified procedure for alpha-iodonation of a cyclohexenone. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.