Nuanced activation of n-pentenyl, thioglycoside, and trichloroacetimidate donors by lanthanide salts coupled with donor/acceptor matching can simplify oligosaccharide assembly. Thus, a one-pot, double-differential glycosidation process can be designed, in which an n-pentenyl acceptor-diol is chemo- and regioselectively glycosidated by using an n-pentenyl ortho ester under the agency of Yb(OTf)(3)/NIS followed by in situ addition of a 2-O-acylated trichloroacetimidate or ethyl thioglycoside to effect stereoselective glycosidation at the remaining OH.