A procedure has been elaborated for stereoselective deuterium substitution of one of the diastereotopic 5′-protons in 2′-deoxynucleotides. The synthetic scheme uses the reduction of the 5-oxosugar derivative with deuterated Alpine-Borane. The resulting deuterosugar is converted into pyrimidine nucleosides and incorporated into DNA using standard protocols. Comparison of two-dimensional NMR spectra of the fully protonated ...