Synthesis of functionalized nitrogen-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other prebiotic compounds in impacting glycine solutions

Chemical Science
Matthew P KroonblawdNir Goldman

Abstract

Proteinogenic amino acids can be produced on or delivered to a planet via impacting abiotic sources and consequently were likely present before the emergence of life on Earth. However, the role that these materials played in prebiotic scenarios remains an open question, in part because little is known about the survivability and reactivity of astrophysical organic compounds upon impact with a planetary surface. To this end, we use a force-matched semi-empirical quantum simulation method to study impacts of aqueous proteinogenic amino acids at conditions reaching 48 GPa and 3000 K. Here, we probe a relatively unstudied mechanism for prebiotic synthesis where sudden heating and pressurization causes condensation of complex carbon-rich structures from mixtures of glycine, the simplest protein-forming amino acid. These carbon-containing clusters are stable on short timescales and undergo a fundamental structural transition upon expansion and cooling from predominantly sp3-bonded tetrahedral-like moieties to those that are more sp2-bonded and planar. The recovered sp2-bonded structures include large nitrogen containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) with a number of different functional groups and embedded bonded regions a...Continue Reading

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Citations

Mar 12, 2021·The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·Brenden W HamiltonAlejandro Strachan
Jun 15, 2021·Chemical Science·Brad A SteeleMatthew P Kroonblawd
May 5, 2020·Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation·Anders M N Niklasson
May 14, 2020·Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation·Varuni DantanarayanaAdam J Moulé
Dec 5, 2020·Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation·Matthew P KroonblawdJames P Lewicki
Dec 4, 2019·The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B·Samantha M ClarkeElissaios Stavrou
Aug 28, 2021·Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling·L S R CavalcanteAdam J Moulé
Sep 4, 2021·The Journal of Organic Chemistry·Hayate KinouchiKiyosei Takasu

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Software Mentioned

Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package 76 ( VASP )
Visual Molecular Dynamics ( VMD
NVT
DFTB
LAMMPS
SLLOD

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