A naturally occurring optically active cyclitol, L-quebrachitol (1L-2-O-methyl-chiro-inositol), was stereoselectively transformed into myo-inositol derivatives via an oxidation-reduction process. The methylether was cleaved chemoselectively with AlCl3–NaI in the presence of a cis-cyclohexylidene moiety with D-myo-inositol 1-phosphate being efficiently obtained.