The present invention relates to a method of preparing a 1-nitro-3-substituted-3-amino-2-propanol diastereomer represented by Structural Formula I: ##STR1## In Structural Formula I, R is an amine protecting group, and R.sup.1 is an amino acid side-chain, a protected amino acid side-chain, a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaromatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl or a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaralkyl group. The method involves contacting a 1-nitro-3-substituted-3-amino-2-propanone with a reducing agent to form a mixture of 1-nitro-3-substituted-3-amino-2-propanol diastereomers. The 1-nitro-3-substituted-3-amino-2-propanol diastereomers are then separated by simulated moving bed chromatography to obtain one or more 1-nitro-3-substituted-3-amino-2-propanol diastereomer.