Practical Fischer glycosidation was effected at room temperature or 60degreesC by using 5 to 10 equiv. of TMSCl. The anomeric propargyl group formed by this method was found to be a versatile new protecting group, being stable in neat TFA but readily cleaved by treatment with Co-2(CO)(8) and TFA in CH2Cl2 via the formation of an alkyne-Co complex.