The condensation of 4-ethylpyridine-2-carboxylic acid (I) with methyl-6-amino-7-chloro-6,7,8-trideoxy-1-thio-L-threo-alpha-D-galacto-octopyranoside (II) by means of isobutyl chloroformate (A) and triethylamine in acetonitrile gives the corresponding amide (III), which is then hydrogenated with H2 over PtO2 in methanol - water - HCl.