With use of iodine as an appropriate oxidant, unprotected and unmodified aldoses undergo oxidativeamidation with a variety of functionalized amines, α-amino esters, and peptides, whereas KDO, sialic acid, and other α-keto acids proceed with oxidative decarboxylation followed by in situ amidation. Glycoside bond and many other functional groups are inert under such mild reaction conditions. This reaction