The present invention relates to double-stranded RNA compounds with at least one blunt end comprising at least one 3-end of formulawherein R5 and R6 are the same or different and are H or alkyl, wherein alkyl can be substituted by an additional heteroatom selected from the group of N, O, S, or a functional group selected from the group OH, NH2, SH, carboxylic acid or ester and wherein R5 and R6 are not both H and wherein said double-stranded RNA mediates RNA interference.