The crystals of a 4:1 mixture of 6-(N-benzyl-N-tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-2,3,6,7-tetradeoxy-a-DL-er ythro- and -beta-DL-threo-hept-2-enopyranos-4-ulose were monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, with cell dimensions: a = 9.490(2), b = 21.516(5), c = 10.279(2) A, beta = 115.31(1) degrees, Z = 4. The ulose ring had a half-chair conformation deformed towards the sofa (envelope) form.