Enormous catalyses of lanthanide metal ions for unprecedentedly fast hydrolysis of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate.

3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is efficiently hydrolyzed by use of lanthanide metal(III) ions as catalysts. The acceleration by 10(-2) M of Ce(III) is remarkable (more than 10(11) fold) at pH 8.0, 30 degrees C, decreasing the half-life from a half million years to 35 seconds. The catalytic activity is in the following order: Ce >> Pr > Nd, La > Y, Sm, Dy > others. The catalysis is ascribed to cooperation of three or four lanthanide metal ions.