An expeditious synthesis of 1-epitrehazolamine is presented from readily available 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D-glucose. The key step involves a samarium diiodide-promoted reductive cyclization of a masked keto-nitrone to form a five-membered ring aminocyclitol. The excellent cis selectivity observed in this nitrone-ketone reductive coupling contrasts surprisingly with the trans selectivity of ketone-oxime reductive couplings.