Five 3',5'-di-O-acylribonucleosides were converted into the corresponding β-D-arabinofuranosyl derivatives in 38-70% yields by DMSO-oxidation followed by NaBH4-reduction and deacylation with NaOMe-MeOH, e.g., adenosine (I; R = Bz, R1 = OH, R2 = H) by sequential oxidation, reduction, and deacylation gave 66% I (R = R1 = H, R2 = OH).