Abstract In the first approach to homosphingosine-1-phosphonate, D-glucofuranose was selectively deoxygenated at C-5. Bond cleavage between C-1 and C-2 afforded a 5-deoxy-D- threo-pentose intermediate.(E)-Selective Wittig reaction with a C 14-chain gave a C 19- intermediate, which was readily transformed into homosphingosine. Formation of a cyclic urethane containing the 3-amino and the 4-hydroxy group of the C 19-intermediate ...