An unusually strong solvent effect has been observed on the diastereoselectivity of nucleophilic additions of bromoalkylmagnesium compounds to the lactols 2 and 3, allowing the formation of pure diastereoisomers of 1,4-diols. Homochiral gamma,gamma-disubstituted gamma-butyrolactones could then be obtained after oxidation of these diols followed by a retro Diels-Alder reaction as illustrated by the synthesis of S-(+)-4,5-dimethyl-4-hexanolide.