A series of racemic 3-phenyl-5-methyl-2H,5H-furan-2-ones related to a natural product, (−)incrustoporine, was synthesized, and their antifungal activity evaluated. The key structural feature, furanone ring, was closed via H₂SO₄-mediated cyclization of 2-phenylpent-4-enoic acids. The compounds displayed antifungal activity, especially against filamentous fungi. Expressed as the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) in μmol/L, the activity of the most promising derivative against Absidia corymbifera matched that of ketoconazole (31.25μmol/L). In terms of μg/mL, the substance was more active (7.6μg/mL) than this standard antifungal drug (16.6μg/mL).