Molecular Design for a Pinpoint RNA Scission. Interposition of Oligoamines between Two DNA Oligomers¹

Abstract

Phosphoramidite monomers having a benzyl or ethyl ester in the side chain have been synthesized for the facile and selective functionalization of oligonucleotides. Various amino compounds were incorporated into the desired sites in oligonucleotides by aminolysis of the esters. The conjugates, in which oligoamines (catalysts for RNA hydrolysis) were interposed between two oligonucleotides, hydrolyzed RNA substrates at exactly the target sites, which was consistent with the results of a computer-modeling study.