The acetylation of meso-erythritol (I) with 3 equivalents of Ac2O in pyridine gives 1,3,4-triacetoxy-meso-erythritol (II) with some tetraacetoxy derivative that is separated by chromatography. The reaction of (II) with P2O5 and dimethoxyethane yields 1,3,4-triacetoxy-2-(methoxymethoxy)butane (III), which is treated with Ac2O and BF3/Et2O to afford 1,3,4-triacetoxy-2-(acetoxymethoxy)butane (IV). The condensation of (IV) with 2-nitroimidazole (V) by means of Ts-OH at 130 C or by means of hot N,N-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSA) provides the precursor (VI), which is finally deacetylated by means of EtONa in ethanol or TEA in aqueous methanol to furnish the target trihydroxy derivative.