title: Formation of nucleobases from formamide in the presence of iron oxides: implication in chemical evolution and origin of life.
abstract: Simple compounds like HCN, which have one C and one N, are proposed as the probable precursors for biomonomers. Formamide, a hydrolysis product of HCN, is known as the precursor of various biologically important compounds, for example, nucleobases (purines and pyrimidines). In this paper, we report our results on the synthesis of nucleobases, adenine, cytosine, purine, 9-(hydroxyacetyl) purine, and 4(3H)-pyrimidinone from formamide, using iron oxide (hematite) and oxide hydroxides (goethite and akaganeite) as a catalyst. Goethite and hematite produced purine in higher yield. The products formed were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry techniques. Results of our study reveal that iron oxides might have worked as efficient prebiotic catalysts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India.
authors.forename: Uma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Shanker
authors.forename: Brij
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bhushan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bhattacharjee
authors.lastname: Kamaluddin
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D005559:Formamides / Q000737:chemistry*; D000069497:Origin of Life; D011687:Purines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005559:Formamides; D011687:Purines; D011743:Pyrimidines; C000499:ferric oxide; C031066:formamide