Ozonolysis of 2-acetoxymethyl-1,5-anhydro-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-D- arabino-hex-1-enitol gave 1-O-acetyl-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-4-O-formyl-D-arabino- hex-2-ulose (5). Subsequent hydrolysis and acetylation of 5 provided 1,2-di-O-acetyl-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-D-fructofuranose 6 in excellent yield. This methodology allows specific deuteration at C-1 of a protected D-fructofuranose derivative. This approach therefore could serve as [6+1-1] formulation for hexose series inter-conversion, that is, aldohexopyranose to ketohexofuranose. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.