The rates of deacylation of 5'-U-acetyl-, -methoxyacetyl-, -phenoxyacetyl-, -formyl-, and -chloroacetyl-uridines (10a-e. respectively) in aqueous and methanolic ammonia have been measured. From these data, a procedure has been developed for the general preparation of 2'-0-(methoxytetrahydropyranyl)-3'-O-acyl ribonucleosides (9) by selective deacylation of suitably designed 2'-0-(methoxytetrahydropyranyl) -3',5'-di-O-acyl derivatives (8) * Two series of 2'-acetal 3'-esters (9), designed as building blocks for oligoribonucleotide synthesis, have been prepared from each of the four main ribonucleosides : one series (derived from uridine, 4-N-benzoylcytidine, adenosine, and 2-N-benzoylguanosine) consists of 3'-acetates or -benzoates and the other series (derived from uridine, 4-N-p-anisoylcytidine, 6-N-p-anisoyladenosine, and 2-N-benzoylguanosine) consists of 3'-methoxyacetates. All these 2'-U-(methoxytetrahydropyranyl) -3'-U-acyl ribonucleosides (9) have been obtained in satisfactory yields and all except one have been isolated as pure crystalline solids.IN our approach to oligoribonucleotide 2 9 3 synthesis it is desirable to have four building blocks derived from each ribonucleoside: a terminal 2',3'-, a terminal 2',5'-, a non-terminal 2',3'-, and a non-terminal 2',5'-derivative [( 1)-(4), respectively; see Scheme 11. The 2'-hydroxyfunctions are always blocked by acid-labile protecting groups; in the terminal building blocks (1) and (2), the 3'and 6'-hydroxy-functions, respectively, are also