The catalytic hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl picolinate (PNPP) by Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes coordinating tripeptide were studied kinetically by observing the rates of release of p-nitrophenol in the buffered micellar solution at 25 degreesC and different pH values. The experimental results indicate that 1:2 ligand:metal ion complexes in CTAB micellar solution are the active species in the reaction, and the complexes, especially that with Cu(II), efficiently catalyze the hydrolysis of PNPP. As a result, a kinetic model of binuclear metal complex catalysis involving a ternary complex in CTAB micellar solution is proposed to analyze the kinetic behavior of catalysis, and thus, relative kinetic and thermodynamic parameters are obtained. The results predict that the catalytic reaction by metallomicelle with binuclear complex involves a bifunctional mechanism.