Many popular synthesis strategies look for appropriate 2'-O-protection methods to use in conjunction with 5'-O-trityl chemistry. In contrast, this unit describes the use of FMOC as a 5'-protecting group in conjunction with a ketal-type 2'-O-protecting group, 4-methoxytetrahydropyran-4-yl (MTHP). The synthesis of all four 2'-O-MTHP-5'-O-FMOC-protected ribonucleosides and 5'-O-FMOC-2'-deoxythymidine is described, as is the preparation of the N-protected, 2'-O-MTHP-protected starting nucleosides.