A general scheme of synthesis of antibiotic doxorubicin derivatives is based on the 13- dimethyl ketal of 14-bromodaunorubicin (4). The interaction of 4 with melibiose (5), lactose (6), 3-methoxy-4-O-(2, 3, 4, 6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-4-oxybenzaldehyde (12) or 4-O-(2, 3, 4, 6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-4-oxybenzaldehyde (13) by reductive alkylation followed by hydrolysis of the corresponding intermediate bromoketals produced ...