Production of glycosyl fluorides

Method for producing a glycosyl fluoride by the fluorination of a protected saccharide, wherein each hydroxyl group of said protected saccharide is derivatized with a protecting group, and wherein the anomeric hydroxyl group of said protected saccharide is derivatized with an acyl protecting group,

• the method comprising the steps of:
• reacting the protected saccharide with a fluorinating agent, wherein the fluorinating agent is selected from the group consisting of pyridinium poly(hydrogen fluoride), triethylamine trihydrofluoride, and DMPU-HF, thereby obtaining a protected glycosyl fluoride,
• deprotecting the protected glycosyl fluoride, thereby producing the glycosyl fluoride,
• and wherein the step of reacting the protected saccharide with the fluorinating agent is performed in the presence of a Lewis acid.