A highly efficient synthesis of the human melanoma associated antigen GD3 derivative has beendescribed. A key feature of the synthetic approach was the use of sialyl donors that were protectedwith a C-5 trifluoroacetamide moiety. These sialyl donors gave high yields and excellent α-anomericselectivities in direct glycosylations with a wide variety of glycosyl acceptors ranging from C-8hydroxyls of sialic acids and C-3 hydroxyls of galactosides to reactive primary alcohols.