Abstract 1-(5-Deoxy-β-d-arabino-hexofuranosyl) cytosine (4′-homoara-C)(11), a higher homolog of the antileukemic agent ara-C (1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine), was prepared by two independent routes. The first one involved the inversion of configuration at C-2′ of the d-ribo epimer (1-(5-deoxy-β-d-ribo-hexofuranosyl) cytosine, 4′-homocytidine) by the diphenylcarbonate technique; the 5-deoxy-d-ribo-hexofuranosyl moiety of 4′- ...