Is formamide nature’s choice to create life? Comment on the paper “Formamide and the origin of life“ by Raffaele Saladino et al

0378737 - BFÚ 2013 RIV US eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Šponer, Judit E. - Šponer, Jiří
Is formamide nature’s choice to create life? Comment on the paper “Formamide and the origin of life“ by Raffaele Saladino et al.
Physics of Life Reviews. Roč. 9, č. 1 (2012), s. 109-110. ISSN 1571-0645. E-ISSN 1873-1457
Grant CEP: GA MŠMT(CZ) LC06030; GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA400040802; GA ČR(CZ) GAP208/10/2302; GA ČR(CZ) GA203/09/1476; GA ČR(CZ) GAP208/11/1822
Výzkumný záměr: CEZ:AV0Z50040507; CEZ:AV0Z50040702
Klíčová slova: formamide * prebiotic synthesis * nucleobase
Kód oboru RIV: BO - Biofyzika
Impakt faktor: 6.583, rok: 2012

We have carried out a detailed quantum chemical characterization of the kinetics of the Saladino-synthesis and illuminated the role of catalytic water molecules. We have found that addition of HCN to formamide dimer requires water-assistance: otherwise the reaction would require much harsher conditions than those reported by Saladino et al. The calculated activation energies fully support the prebiotic plausibility of the synthetic route via formamide dimer proposed by Saladino et al., which “entirely compatible with an alkaline hydrothermal vents scenario”.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0210137