Dicarbamates of the reduction products of 2-hydroxymethyl-5-furfural (HMF) and a method of preparing the same are described. The method involves reacting a mixture of an isohexide and a cynate salt in a non-aqueous solvent, with a miscible acid having a pKa of about 3.7 or less. The dicarbamates of HMF-reduction products can serve as precursor materials from which various derivative compounds can be synthesized.