Racemic 1',4'-dimethyladenosine was prepared according to a stereoselective sequence from 2,5-dimethyl furan and vinylene carbonate. This sequence is short and efficient (nine steps) and relies on the desymmetrization of a meso diol, followed by the glycosylation of the anomeric position. The latter reaction was thoroughly studied, as it is the key step of the sequence, and very particular reactivity