The primary hydroxy group of ethyl 2,3-dideoxy-alpha-D-erythro-hex-2-enopyranoside (1) was selectively protected and the secondary hydroxy group was deoxygenated via the dithiocarbonate 3 from which ethyl 6-O-(4-methoxybenzoyl)-2,3,4-trideoxy-alpha-D-glycero-hex-2-eno pyranoside (4) and its regioisomer (5) were produced. These were converted into didehydro nucleosides by glycosylation of silylated heterocyclic bases in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate as catalyst. The configurations of the anomeric products were assigned by 1H-NMR analysis of the corresponding saturated compounds which were obtained by hydrogenation of the double bond in the carbohydrate moiety. The compounds 9a,b,d, 10a,b, 14a,b,e,f, and 15a,b,e,f did not show any significant activity against HIV or HSV-1.