A new stereoselective preparation of N-aceyl-D-galactosamine (1b) starting from the known p-methoxyphenyl 3,4-O-isopropylidene-6-O-(1-methoxy-1-methylethyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (10) is described using a simple strategy based on (a) epimerization at C-2 of 10 via oxidation-reduction to give the talo derivative 11, (b) amination with configurational inversion at C-2 of 11 via a S(N)2-type reaction