An experimental study of the thermolysis of hydrogen cyanide: the role of hydrothermal systems in chemical evolution
Por:
Villafane-Barajas, Saul A., Colin-Garcia, Maria, Negron-Mendoza, Alicia, Ruiz-Bermejo, Marta
Publicada:
1 oct 2020
Resumen:
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is considered a fundamental molecule in prebiotic
chemistry experiments due to the fact that it could have an important
role as raw material to form more complex molecules, as well as it could
be an intermediate molecule in chemical reactions. However, the
primitive scenarios in which this molecule might be available have been
widely discussed. Hydrothermal systems have been considered as abiotic
reactors and ideal niches for chemical evolution. Nevertheless, several
experiments have shown that high temperatures and pressures could be
adverse to the stability of organic molecules. Thus, it is necessary to
carry out systematic experiments to study the synthesis, stability and
fate of organic molecules in hydrothermal scenarios. In this work, we
performed experiments focused on the stability and fate of HCN under a
simple hydrothermal system scenario: the thermolysis of HCN at 100
degrees C, at acidic and basic pH and in the presence of
Mg-montmorillonite. Furthermore, we analysed the products from HCN
thermolysis and highlighted the role of these chemical species as
prebiotic molecules under a hydrothermal scenario.
Filiaciones:
Villafane-Barajas, Saul A.:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Posgrad Ciencias Tierra, Ciudad Univ, Cd Mx 04510, Mexico
Colin-Garcia, Maria:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Geol, Ciudad Univ, Cd Mx 04510, Mexico
Negron-Mendoza, Alicia:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Ciencias Nucl, Ciudad Univ, Cd Mx 04510, Mexico
Ruiz-Bermejo, Marta:
Ctr Astrobiol INTA CSIC, Dept Evoluc Mol, Ctra Torrejon Ajalvir,Km 4, Madrid 28850, Spain
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