An application of the samariumdiiodidepromotedcoupling between nitrones and methyl acrylate using nitrones derived from D-erythrose and D-threose is described. The reaction course of coupling is dependent on the structure of the starting chiral nitrone. The results show that the method has potential use in the preparation γ- N-hydroxylamino esters, pyrrolidinones, and pyrrolidines containing carbohydrate