1,3,5-Tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-D-ribose is used in the chemoenzymic preparation of nucleosides. It is also an intermediate int he synthesis of 2-Deoxy-D-α-ribopyranosyl-5-azacytosine which is an isomer of 2-Deoxy-D-β-ribopyranosyl-5-azacytosine (D253525), an impurity of Decitabine and potentially carcinogenic.