Fucoxanthin is an essential pigment for the light-harvesting of aquatic algae. It exhibits high energy transfer efficiencies to Chl a (>80%) as well as peridinin (>95%). In order to verify the generality and specificity of the noticeable observation on the ICT excited energy state character, which was found in the study of peridinin, we achieved the straightforward synthesis of a series of fucoxanthin short-chain derivatives via the modified-Julia olefination with the aldehyde half segment possessing a beta,gamma-epoxyketone function. The established method was successfully applied to the synthesis of the epoxy olefin derivative as an allene modified fucoxanthin analogue. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.