Unsaturated C3,5,7,9-Monocarboxylic Acids by Aqueous, One-Pot Carbon Fixation: Possible Relevance for the Origin of Life.
All scientific approaches to the origin of life share a common problem: a chemical path to lipids as main constituents of extant cellular enclosures. Here we show by isotope-controlled experiments that unsaturated C3,5,7,9-monocarboxylic acids form by one-pot reaction of acetylene (C2H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) in contact with nickel sulfide (NiS) in hot aqueous medium. The primary products are toto-olefinic monocarboxylic acids with CO-derived COOH groups undergoing subsequent stepwise hydrogenation with CO as reductant. In the resulting unsaturated monocarboxylic acids the double bonds are mainly centrally located with mainly trans-configuration. The reaction conditions are compatible with an origin of life in volcanic-hydrothermal sub-seafloor flow ducts.
Lehrstuhl für Biochemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstraße 4, D-85747 Garching Germany.
Christopher
C
Scheidler
Lehrstuhl für Biochemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstraße 4, D-85747 Garching Germany.
Jessica
J
Sobotta
Lehrstuhl für Biochemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstraße 4, D-85747 Garching Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Eisenreich
2209 Mill Race Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
Günter
G
Wächtershäuser
Lehrstuhl für Biochemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstraße 4, D-85747 Garching Germany.
Claudia
C
Huber
D000114:Acetylene / Q000737:chemistry; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000737:chemistry; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006865:Hydrogenation; D008055:Lipids / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry; D000069497:Origin of Life; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D008055:Lipids; D014867:Water; D009532:Nickel; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; C017558:nickel sulfide; D000114:Acetylene