Diastereoselective hetero Diels-Alder reactions of sugar derived azomethines 4a–4g have been used for the construction of chiral piperidones 6 and 7. Configuration of the major products was 6,1′-threo in every case. The enone system of 6 and 7 was reduced diastereoselectively and subsequently swainsonine-analog hydroxyindolizidines 28–32 were prepared by an intramolecular reductive amination.