Dinuclear copper(II) complexes that promote hydrolysis of GpppG, a model for the 5′-cap of mRNA

The hydrolysis of the monoribonucleotide GpppG, a model compound for the 5′-cap structure of mRNA, by dinuclear Cu(II) complexes of triazacyclononane was 100-fold more rapid than in the presense of the analogous mononuclear complex; a first-order or second-order dependence on the catalyst was observed for two different dinuclear complexes.