(2'R)-1,5-Dimethoxy-2(2'-methyloxiran-2'-y (8), an intermediate for the synthesis of fridamycin E, has been prepared enantioselectively via the diol (15). The diol (15) was prepared in high yield by asymmetric cis-hydroxylation of the alkene (11). The analogous diol (22), a vineomycinone B-2 precursor, was also prepared.