The first synthesis of (+)-hyacinthacine A(2) has been achieved in six steps from 2,3,5-tri-O-benZyl-D-arabinofuranose in an overall yield of 11%. The structure of this natural product was thus unambiguously established as (1R,2R,3R,7aR)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-1-lydroxymethylpyrrolizidine. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.