Catalytic hydrolysis of cAMP

Abstract
[Co(trien)(OH2)(OH)]Cl2 is highly efficient in catalyzing the hydrolysis of cAMP to adenosine in neutral water (6 × 10−6 M−1 s−1 at 50 °C). The cobalt complex promoted hydrolysis of cAMP is estimated to be about a hundred million times faster than the uncatalyzed hydrolysis of cAMP. In the time that [Co(trien)(OH2)(OH)]Cl2 produces 50% cleavage of cAMP, [Co(en)2(NH3)(OH)]Cl2 or ZnCl2 has no observable effect on the hydrolysis of cAMP. A detailed mechanism is presented for the cobalt complex promoted hydrolysis of the phosphodiester.