A synthetic procedure for construction of the (+)-(3R,5R,6R)-5,6-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-octanal and (−)-(3S,5S,6S)-5,6-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-octanal derivatives, the intermediates for synthesis of the HIV-active didemnaketal analogue, was developed via a series of reactions from the natural (−)-menthone.