Aldol-type reactions of enantiomerically pure 4,5-diphenyl-3-(methylsulfinyl)methylisoxazolines and 2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-glyceraldehyde were examined in order to establish the stereochemical preferences. Catalytic hydrogenation of the resulting trihydroxyisoxazoline derivatives using a Raney-Ni/H 3 BO 3 system provides an access to diastereomerically pure 1,5,6,7-tetrahydroxy-3-heptanones.