Asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions between furan and chiral (E)-1,2-dideoxy-1-nitroalkenes derived from D-mannose and D-galactose take place quantitatively at room temperature and under high pressure (13 kbar), thus yielding, in each case, mixtures of the four possible stereoisomers of 3-nitro-2-(penta-O-acetylpentitol-1-yl)-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-enes. The 3-nitro- 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carbaldehydes were obtained by deacetylation, followed by oxidative degration of the sugar chains of the corresponding major stereoisomers produced in each of the two Diels-Alder reactions.