A series of modified nucleosides bearing at varied positions of the sugar moiety one 3-aryl-1-triazeno N¹-oxide group and a variable number of O-TBDMS groups have been prepared and their cytotoxicities and cytostaticities measured on different cell lines. Nucleosides bearing an aryltriazeno N-oxide group and O-TBDMS groups are either devoid of cytotoxicity or possess a selective cytotoxicity. On the other hand, nucleosides bearing one triazeno group and no silyl group are devoid of cytotoxicity and silylated nucleosides without triazeno group are generally either devoid of cytotoxicity or unselectively cytotoxic. This indicates that the O-TBDMS group per se is not cytotoxic.