title: Sugar synthesis from a gas-phase formose reaction.
abstract: Prebiotic possibilities for the synthesis of interstellar ribose through a protic variant of the formose reaction under gas-phase conditions were studied in the absence of any known catalyst. The ion-molecule reaction products, diose and triose, were sought by mass spectrometry, and relevant masses were observed. Ab initio calculations were used to evaluate protic formose mechanism possibilities. A bilateral theoretical and experimental effort yielded a physical model for glycoaldehyde generation whereby a hydronium cation can mediate formaldehyde dimerization followed by covalent bond formation leading to diose and water. These results advance the possibility that ion-molecule reactions between formaldehyde (CH(2)O) and H(3)O(+) lead to formose reaction products and inform us about potential sugar formation processes in interstellar space.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Quimica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico D.F. ajalbout@u.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Abraham F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Jalbout
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abrell
authors.forename: Ludwik
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adamowicz
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Polt
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Apponi
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ziurys
mesh_terms: D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D004164:Diphosphonates; D018559:Exobiology; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry; D005740:Gases; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009861:Onium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D000069497:Origin of Life; D012266:Ribose / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D004164:Diphosphonates; D005740:Gases; D009861:Onium Compounds; C071542:cimadronate; D005557:Formaldehyde; C027727:hydronium ion; D012266:Ribose; C010963:formose sugars