The amaryllidaceae alkaloid (+)-trans-dihydrolycoricidine (1) was synthesized by asymmetric organocatalytic Friedel-Crafts reaction of sesamol with nitro-olefin followed by an intramolecular Henry reaction for construction of the C ring system. Construction of the B ring was achieved by a microwave-assisted palladium-catalyzed CO insertion reaction. Finally, regio- and stereoselective introduction of the third hydroxyl group (at C3) on the C ring afforded 1.