%0 Journal Article %A Mohamed S. Sasi and Adel M. Mlitan and Abdulfattah M. Alkherraz %D 2014 %J International Journal of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering %B World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology %I Open Science Index 93, 2014 %T Comparing Spontaneous Hydrolysis Rates of Activated Models of DNA and RNA %U https://publications.waset.org/pdf/9999377 %V 93 %X This research project aims to investigate difference in relative rates concerning phosphoryl transfer relevant to biological catalysis of DNA and RNA in the pH-independent reactions. Activated Models of DNA and RNA for alkyl-aryl phosphate diesters (with 4-nitrophenyl as a good leaving group) have successfully been prepared to gather kinetic parameters. Eyring plots for the pH– independent hydrolysis of 1 and 2 were established at different temperatures in the range 100–160 °C. These measurements have been used to provide a better estimate for the difference in relative rates between the reactivity of DNA and RNA cleavage. Eyring plot gave an extrapolated rate of kH2O = 1 × 10-10 s -1 for 1 (RNA model) and 2 (DNA model) at 25°C. Comparing the reactivity of RNA model and DNA model shows that the difference in relative rates in the pH-independent reactions is surprisingly very similar at 25°. This allows us to obtain chemical insights into how biological catalysts such as enzymes may have evolved to perform their current functions. %P 1010 - 1012