A method of making a compound by: providing a furyl compound being 2-furoyl chloride or corresponding carboxylic acid, amide, ester, anhydride, or lactone; reacting the furyl compound with CH.sub.3O(CH.sub.3)NH.HCl to form an amide; reacting the amide with an alkane Grignard reagent or alkyllithium to form a chelated intermediate; and reacting the chelated intermediate with an aqueous acid to form a (2-furyl)-alkylketone.