An expeditious synthesis of thymine polyoxin C in 6 steps (7.2% overal
l yield) bared on the stereocontrolled addition of 2-lithiofuran, a ma
sked carboxylate group, to the N-benzyl nitrone derived from methyl 2,
3-O-isopropylidene-dialdo-D-ribofuranoside, is described.