Partial benzoylation ofl-rhamnono-l,4-lactone (1) gave 2,5-di-O-benzoyl-l-rhamnono-1,4-lactone (2) as the main product. In similar conditions,d-mannono-l,4-lactone (3) gave preferentially 2,5,6-tri-O-benzoyl-d-mannono-l,4-lactone (4). 2,3,5,6-Tetra-O-benzoyl- (5) and 3,6-di-O-benzoyl-d-mannono-1,4-lactone (6) were isolated in low yield from the reaction mixture. The structures of the partially benzoylated compounds2,4and6were assigned on the basis of spectroscopic data.