The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of furopyrroles of general formula (I), comprising (a) heating a compound of the formula (II) under microwave irradiation optionally in the presence of an inert solvent, wherein A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 are C.sub.1-C.sub.18alkyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.18alkenyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.18alkynyl, C.sub.5-C.sub.8cycloalkyl, C.sub.5-C.sub.8cycloalkenyl, aryl or heteroaryl, A.sup.3 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-C.sub.18alkyl, cyanomethyl, Ar.sup.3, --CR.sup.30R.sup.31--(CH.sub.2).sub.m--Ar.sup.3 or Y--R.sup.32, wherein R.sup.30 and R.sup.31 independently of each other stand for hydrogen or C.sub.1-C.sub.4alkyl, or phenyl which can be substitute up to three times with C.sub.1-C.sub.4alkyl, Ar.sup.3 stands for aryl, C.sub.5-C.sub.8 cloalkyl, C.sub.5-C.sub.8cycloalkenyl or heteroaryl, which can be substituted one to three times with C.sub.1-C.sub.8alkyl, C.sub.1-C.sub.8alkoxy, halogen or phenyl, which can be substituted with C.sub.1-C.sub.8alkyl or C.sub.1-C.sub.8alkoxy one to three times, and m stands for 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, R is C.sub.1-C.sub.18alkyl, in particular C.sub.1-C.sub.4alkyl, aryl, in particular phenyl, or aralkyl, in particular benzyl, which can be substituted one to three times with C.sub.1-C.sub.8alkyl, C.sub.1-C.sub.8alkoxy, or halogen, Y is --C(O)--, --C(O)O--, --C(O)NH--, --SO.sub.2NH-- or --SO.sub.2-- and R.sup.32 is C.sub.1-C.sub.18alkyl, Ar.sup.3, or aralkyl. The furopyrroles of the general formula (I) can be can be obtained in high yield and high purity by the process of the present invention. ##STR00001##