Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry Blog

This manuscript from Zhong-Lin Lu and co-workers presents the preparation of a series of mononuclear and dinuclear zinc(II) complexes with ligands bearing different numbers of N-methyl groups, and includes a thorough kinetic study towards the hydrolytic cleavage of RNA and DNA model substrates.

The study focuses on the influence of steric effects on the catalytic efficiency and for the first time probes the effect of N-methylation of triazacyclododecane ligands. The N-methylation substantially reduces the co-operative behaviour between mononuclear zinc complexes and for the dinuclear complexes the activities are also substantially reduced but are still faster than the background reaction without the metal-complex.

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Steric effects on the catalytic activities of zinc(II) complexes containing [12]aneN₃ ligating units in the cleavage of the RNA and DNA model phosphates
Yang Song, Ju Zan, Hao Yan, Zhong-Lin Lu and Ruibing Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C2OB25624J