A process for preparing a compound of formula: comprising cyclizing and performing a transannular etherification reaction on a compound of formula: under suitable conditions to form a compound of formula: wherein: m is an integer between 0 and 6, inclusive; n is an integer between 0 and 8, inclusive; PG is a protecting group; each occurrence of R 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; halogen; cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aliphatic; cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched heteroaliphatic; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched acyl; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aryl; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched heteroaryl; -OR A; -C(=O)R A; -CO 2 R A; -CN; -SCN; -SR A; -SOR A; -SO 2 R A; -NO 2; -N 3; =O; =N(R A); =S; -N(R A) 2; -NHC(=O)R A; -NR A C(=O)N(R A) 2; -OC(=O)OR A;-OC(=O)R A; -OC(=O)N(R A) 2; -NR A C(=O)OR A; or -C(R A) 3; wherein each occurrence of R A is independently a hydrogen, a protecting group, an aliphatic moiety, a heteroaliphatic moiety, an acyl moiety; an aryl moiety; a heteroaryl moiety; alkoxy; aryloxy; alkylthio; arylthio; amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, heteroaryloxy; or heteroarylthio moiety; R 2 is hydrogen or C 1 -C 6 aliphatic; and each occurrence of R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; halogen; cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aliphatic; cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched heteroaliphatic; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched acyl; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aryl; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched heteroaryl; -OR D; -C(=O)R D; -CO 2 R D; -CN; -SCN; -SR D; -SOR D; -SO 2 R D; -NO 2; -N 3; -N(R D) 2; -NHC(=O)R D; -NR A C(=O)N(R D) 2; -OC(=O)OR D; -OC(=O)R D;-OC(=O)N(R D) 2; -NR D C(=O)OR D; or -C(R D) 3; wherein each occurrence of R D is independently a hydrogen, a protecting group, an aliphatic moiety, a heteroaliphatic moiety, an acyl moiety; an aryl moiety; a heteroaryl moiety; alkoxy; aryloxy; alkylthio; arylthio; amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, heteroaryloxy; or heteroarylthio. m is an integer between 0 and 6, inclusive; n is an integer between 0 and 8, inclusive; PG is a protecting group; each occurrence of R 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; halogen; cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aliphatic; cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched heteroaliphatic; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched acyl; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aryl; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched heteroaryl; -OR A; -C(=O)R A; -CO 2 R A; -CN; -SCN; -SR A; -SOR A; -SO 2 R A; -NO 2; -N 3; =O; =N(R A); =S; -N(R A) 2; -NHC(=O)R A; -NR A C(=O)N(R A) 2; -OC(=O)OR A;-OC(=O)R A; -OC(=O)N(R A) 2; -NR A C(=O)OR A; or -C(R A) 3; wherein each occurrence of R A is independently a hydrogen, a protecting group, an aliphatic moiety, a heteroaliphatic moiety, an acyl moiety; an aryl moiety; a heteroaryl moiety; alkoxy; aryloxy; alkylthio; arylthio; amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, heteroaryloxy; or heteroarylthio moiety; R 2 is hydrogen or C 1 -C 6 aliphatic; and each occurrence of R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; halogen; cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aliphatic; cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched heteroaliphatic; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched acyl; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched aryl; substituted or unsubstituted, branched or unbranched heteroaryl; -OR D; -C(=O)R D; -CO 2 R D; -CN; -SCN; -SR D; -SOR D; -SO 2 R D; -NO 2; -N 3; -N(R D) 2; -NHC(=O)R D; -NR A C(=O)N(R D) 2; -OC(=O)OR D; -OC(=O)R D;-OC(=O)N(R D) 2; -NR D C(=O)OR D; or -C(R D) 3; wherein each occurrence of R D is independently a hydrogen, a protecting group, an aliphatic moiety, a heteroaliphatic moiety, an acyl moiety; an aryl moiety; a heteroaryl moiety; alkoxy; aryloxy; alkylthio; arylthio; amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, heteroaryloxy; or heteroarylthio.