title: Chemical Aspects of Astrophysically Observed Extraterrestrial Methanol, Hydrocarbon Derivatives, and Ions.
abstract: Astrophysically observed extraterrestrial molecular matter contains, besides hydrogen and water, methane and methanol as the most abundant species. Feasible pathways and chemical aspects of their formation as well as of derived hydrocarbon homologues and their ions (carbocations and carbanions) are discussed on the basis of observed similarities with our studied terrestrial chemistry. The preferred pathway for converting extraterrestrial methane according to Ali et al. is based on CH5(+) and Olah's related nonclassical carbonium ion chemistry. On the basis of the observed higher reactivity of methanol compared with methane in various chemical reactions, a feasible new pathway is proposed for the conversion of extraterrestrial methanol to hydrocarbons, their derivatives, and carbocations together with a possible connection with methonium ion-based chemistry.
authors.affiliation: Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States.
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Olah
authors.affiliation: Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.affiliation: Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States.
authors.forename: G K Surya
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.affiliation: Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States.
authors.forename: Golam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rasul