A compound of formula (A) or salt thereof: ##STR00001## wherein each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 independently represents hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, acyl, sulfonyl, or silyl; P represents hydrogen or a hydroxy protective group. This compound may be used an intermediate for making a 2-deoxy-2,2-difluoro-D-ribofuranosyl nucleosides, such as gemcitabine.