Treatment of 1,2,3-tri-O-acetyl-5,6-anhydro-D-galactofuranose with thiourea gave 1,2,3-tri-O-acetyl-5,6-dideoxy-5,6-epithio-L-altrofuranose, acetolysis of which gave 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-acetyl-5-S-acetyl-5-thio-L-altrofuranose. Deacetylation of the latter gave 5-thio-L-altrose. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.