One aspect of the present invention relates to optionally substituted halogenated benzyl halides and the like. These compounds are useful as halogenated benzyl ether-based protecting groups for a variety of functional groups. Another aspect of the present invention relates to use of said protecting groups in an orthogonal protecting group strategy for the synthesis of complex molecules that comprise a number of suitable functional groups. Another aspect of the present invention relates to saccharides bearing various arrays of protecting groups of the present invention. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of synthesizing an oligosaccharide or glycoconjugate, comprising the steps of: using a saccharide bearing at least one protecting group of the present invention to glycosylate a second molecule to give a product comprising said saccharide; and removing a protecting group of the present invention from said product.