PURPOSE: To stereospecifically obtain the titled compound having powerful antitumor activity, by reacting anthracycline having no substituent group at the 10-position with an N-oxide of a tertiary amine.

CONSTITUTION: A compound expressed by formula I [R1WR6 are H, OH or OCH3; R7 is H, OH or sugar residue; R8 is C2H5, COCH3, CH(OH)CH3, CH(OH) CH2(OH) or COCH2OH], e.g. 3'-deamino-3'-(4-morpholinyl)-13-deoxocarminomycin, is reacted with an N-oxide of a tertiary amine, e.g. N-oxide of triethylamine or N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide, in a solvent at a temperature within the range of the freezing point W boiling point of the solvent to afford the aimed compound expressed by formula II.