Interglycosidic spiro-orthoesters were efficiently prepared from methy
l 2,6-di-O-benzylgalactopyranoside and sugar lactones in the presence
of methoxy-trimethylsilane and a catalytic amount of trimethylsilyl tr
iflate. The structure of the prepared orthoester, galactosylidenegalac
toside, was determined by X-Ray crystallographic analysis.