A divergent approach for the synthesis of some polyhydroxy pyrrolidines and piperidines from ribosylamine

A simple and efficient synthesis of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-ribitol, 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-l-lyxitol, N-benzyl derivative of d-ribitol, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-piperidine, l-4-epi-isofagomine and d-3-epi-isofagomine, which are glycosidase inhibitors has been described from the commercially available d-ribose as a starting material.