6-acetamido-6,8-dideoxy-1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-D-glycero-alpha-D-galacto-octopyranos-7-ulose (6), has been synthesised from D-galactose. The side chain elongation was carried out by cyano-amination of the protected dialdo sugar (2), followed by N-acetylation, and a subsequent Grignard reaction.