title: New insights into the characterization of 'insoluble black HCN polymers'.
abstract: The data presented here provide a novel contribution to the understanding of the structural features of HCN polymers and could be useful in further development of models for prebiotic chemistry. The interpretation of spectroscopic and analytical data, along with previous results reported by other authors, allowed us to propose a mechanism for the aqueous polymerization of HCN from its primary and simplest isolated oligomer, the diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN) tetramer. We suggest that 'insoluble black HCN polymers' are formed by an unsaturated complex matrix, which retains a significant amount of H(2) O and important bioorganic compounds or their precursors. This polymeric matrix can be formed by various motifs of imidazoles and cyclic amides, among others. The robust formation of HCN polymers assayed under several conditions seems to explain the plausible ubiquity of these complex substances in space.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Astrobiología (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial), Carretera Torrejón-Ajalvir, Km 4, E-28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid. ruizbm@inta.es
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Bermejo
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: de la Fuente
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rogero
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Menor-Salván
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Osuna-Esteban
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martín-Gago
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000737:chemistry; D006856:Hydrogen Cyanide / Q000737:chemistry*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D009570:Nitriles / Q000737:chemistry; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D007093:Imidazoles; D009570:Nitriles; D011108:Polymers; C022103:diaminomaleonitrile; D006856:Hydrogen Cyanide; C029899:imidazole