Pentafluoropropionyl (PFP) and trifluoroacetyl (TFA) esters were demonstrated to be useful in facile oligosaccharide synthesis. These were well compatible with glycosylation conditions and removable by treatment with pyridine–EtOH, with complete preservation of acetyl groups. Analytically pure products were obtained quantitatively, simply by evaporating the reaction mixtures. Using O-PFP and O-TFA carrying glycosyl halides, trisaccharide ( ...