Glycosides are widely occurring natural compounds. Among them, ergot alkaloids, therapeutically potent substances,1have been isolated only as mono-2-4and oligofructosides.4,5The formation of these metabolic by-products in saprophytic cultures of some Claviceps strains grown in sucrose media is catalysed by invertase present in fungal mycelia.3The other O-glycosides of ergot alkaloids, obtained either synthetically6using peracetylated glycosyl bromides and Ag2CO3as catalyst, or enzymatically7-12have a β-configuration at the sugar anomeric centre. Preparation of some ergot alkaloid α-glycosides needed to complete our studies regarding their potential immunomodulatory and antiviral activities is the subject of this paper.