The methodology for the synthesis of podophyllotoxin and thuriferic acid-type lignans has been applied to derivatives carrying a naphthalene moiety. Starting from the 1,3-dithiane of 2-naphthaldehyde afforded the expected analogues in the 2,1-naphthalene series. The preferred conformations of these compounds are influenced by the bulky naphthalene system. By contrast, 1,8-bridged products were obtained