[reaction: see text] We describe a catalyticasymmetricsynthesis of bothsyn- and anti-3,5-dihydroxy esters. The method relies upon catalyticasymmetric epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated imidazolides and amides, using lanthanide-BINOL complexes, and diastereoselective reduction of ketones. The method was applied to the enantioselective syntheses of 1,3-polyol/alpha-pyrone natural products 9a,