A convergent synthetic strategy has been developed for the synthesis of a pentasaccharide fragment corresponding to the O-antigen of Salmonella enterica 044 strain. An intermediate tetrasaccharide derivative was prepared by a [2+2] block glycosylation of two disaccharide derivatives. The p-methoxybenzyl (PMB) group has been used as the in situ temporary protecting group minimizing the number of functional group manipulation steps. The application of the armed-disarmed glycosylation concept reduced the number of steps in the synthetic strategy. The glycosylation steps were highly stereoselective and high yielding. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.