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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Chemical Triphosphorylation of Oligonucleotides
Published on: June 2, 2022
Activating water: efficient intramolecular general base catalysis of the hydrolysis of a phosphate triester
Anthony J Kirby1, Michelle Medeiros2, Pedro S M Oliveira2
1University Chemical Laboratory, Cambridge CB2 1EW (UK).
Abstract:
We have identified the first highly efficient intramolecular general base catalysis (IGBC) of a hydrolysis reaction, in a system where two general bases are available to assist the attack of the same nucleophilic water molecule. The suggested mechanism, available uniquely to a phosphate triester model, is readily available in enzyme active sites, and the results suggest a possible solution to the long-unsolved question of how enzymes are able to activate a water molecule to be a highly effective nucleophile.
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