Indolocarbazoles are furanosylated (e.g., 7) with acetals (e.g., 8) or their open chain congeners (e.g., 9) under conditions known to promote acetal exchange or formation, such as protic or Lewis acids. Furanosylated indolocarbazoles (e.g., 10) are also prepared via ring contraction of pyranosylated indolocarbazoles (e.g., 11) under conditions know to effect oxidation and benzylic acid type rearrangements, and pyranosylated indolocarbazoles (e.g., 11) are prepared via ring expansion of the furanosylated congeners (e.g., 10)