The synthesis of a bicyclic analogue of the naturally occurring alpha-L-iduronic acid locked in a biologically active (2)S0 skewboat conformation is disclosed. The desired (2)S0 conformation has been obtained by tethering the C-2 and C-5 carbon atoms of the sugar ring with a dimethyloxy bridge and confirmed by NMR and molecular modeling. The new mimic displays the exact hydroxyl pattern of alpha-L-iduronic acid, a major monosaccharide component of glycosaminoglycans and thus represents a closer mimic of the latter, compared to previously reported bicyclic analogs.