The synthesis of compounds 2, the racemic carbocyclic analogues of ascorbic acid 1a and isoascorbic acid 1b, has been accomplished starting from the cyclopentenone 4. Benzylation followed by diastereoselective addition to tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy acetaldehyde gave rise to a mixture of the adducts (±)6a and (±)6b. Removal of the silyl- and tert-butyl protecting groups proceeded cleanly to furnish reductone ethers (±)8a and (±)8b, which were finally converted by catalytic hydrogenation to (±)2a and (±)2b, respectively.