Method for producing a sphingoid base of General Formula I, or a salt thereof, in which R' is H, aryl or an alkyl chain having 1-43 carbon atoms, preferably 5-25 carbon atoms, more preferably 10-20 carbon atoms, which may be a straight chain or branched, and/or which may be saturated or contain one or more double bonds, and/or which may contain one or more functional groups, the functional group being preferably selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, a primary, secondary or tertiary amine, a thiol group, a thioether or a phosphorus containing functional group, starting from a compound of General Formula II wherein R' is as defined for General Formula I, this method comprising the steps of: a. protecting the amino (NH 2 ) group of a compound represented by General Formula II or a salt thereof with an N-protecting group, the N-protecting group being a vinylogous amide-type N-protecting group suitable to yield vinylogous amides, b. protecting the hydroxyl (OH) groups at position C-1 and C-3 with an O-protecting group, c. introducing a leaving group R 6 at position C-4 by substitution or replacement of the C-4 hydroxyl group, d. inducing an elimination reaction by base treatment to form a double bond between C-4 and C-5, e. removing the O-protecting group, f. removing the N-protecting group. in which R' is H, aryl or an alkyl chain having 1-43 carbon atoms, preferably 5-25 carbon atoms, more preferably 10-20 carbon atoms, which may be a straight chain or branched, and/or which may be saturated or contain one or more double bonds, and/or which may contain one or more functional groups, the functional group being preferably selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, a primary, secondary or tertiary amine, a thiol group, a thioether or a phosphorus containing functional group, starting from a compound of General Formula II wherein R' is as defined for General Formula I, this method comprising the steps of: a. protecting the amino (NH 2 ) group of a compound represented by General Formula II or a salt thereof with an N-protecting group, the N-protecting group being a vinylogous amide-type N-protecting group suitable to yield vinylogous amides, b. protecting the hydroxyl (OH) groups at position C-1 and C-3 with an O-protecting group, c. introducing a leaving group R 6 at position C-4 by substitution or replacement of the C-4 hydroxyl group, d. inducing an elimination reaction by base treatment to form a double bond between C-4 and C-5, e. removing the O-protecting group, f. removing the N-protecting group. a. protecting the amino (NH 2 ) group of a compound represented by General Formula II or a salt thereof with an N-protecting group, the N-protecting group being a vinylogous amide-type N-protecting group suitable to yield vinylogous amides, b. protecting the hydroxyl (OH) groups at position C-1 and C-3 with an O-protecting group, c. introducing a leaving group R 6 at position C-4 by substitution or replacement of the C-4 hydroxyl group, d. inducing an elimination reaction by base treatment to form a double bond between C-4 and C-5, e. removing the O-protecting group, f. removing the N-protecting group. <EOS>