Commercially availableN-Boc-4-O-benzyl-l-homoserine was treated with trifluoroacetic acid and the corresponding,N-deprotected derivative was submitted to deamination to give 4-O-benzyl-3-deoxy-l-glycero-tetronic acid (5). In another approach to 3-deoxy-l-glycero-tetronic acid protected at position 4, the carboxylic groups in L-malic acid were reduced, and the resulting triol was benzylidenated. Oxidation of the 2,4-O-benzylidene derivative formed with CrO3-pyridine complex in the presence oft-butyl alcohol gavet-butyl 2,4-O-benzylidene-3-deoxy-l-glycero-tetronate (13). The latter was saponified with aqueous sodium hydroxide to give, after Na+exchange for H+, 2,4-O-benzylidene-3-deoxy-l-glycero-tetronic acid (15). Opening of the acetal ring in13, followed by hydrolytic cleavage of thet-butyl ester function gave material indistinguishable from5obtained in the original way. When tested for their efficiency ofN-acylation of derivatives of D-perosamine, both acids5and15gave the corresponding tetronamido derivatives in high yields.