title: Prebiotic carbohydrate synthesis: zinc-proline catalyzes direct aqueous aldol reactions of alpha-hydroxy aldehydes and ketones.
abstract: Zn-proline catalyzed aldolisation of glycoladehyde gave mainly tetroses whereas in the cross-aldolisation of glycoladehyde and rac-glyceraldehyde, pentoses accounted for 60% of the sugars formed with 20% of ribose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Berne, Freiestrasse 3, 3012, Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kofoed
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Reymond
authors.forename: Tamis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Darbre
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000737:chemistry*; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002384:Catalysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D007659:Ketones / Q000737:chemistry*; D011392:Proline / Q000737:chemistry*; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D002241:Carbohydrates; D007659:Ketones; C116609:3-hydroxybutanal; D011392:Proline; D015032:Zinc