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Armas-Vázquez MZ, González-Espinoza CE, Segura A, Heredia A, Miranda-Rosete A. Impact of M Dwarfs Ultraviolet Radiation on Prebiotic Chemistry: The Case of Adenine. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:705-722. [PMID: 37115581 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
To date, several exoplanets have been found to orbit within the habitable zone of main sequence M stars (M dwarfs). These stars exhibit different levels of chromospheric activity that produces ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV may be harmful to life, but it can also trigger reactions of prebiotic importance on the surface of a potentially habitable planet (PHP). We created a code to obtain the adenine yield for a known adenine synthesis route from diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN). We used computational methods to calculate the reaction coefficient rates (photolysis rate J and rate constant K) for the intermediate molecules DAMN, diaminofumaronitrile (DAFN), and 4-aminoimidazole-5-carbonitrile (AICN) of the adenine synthesis route. We used stellar UV sources and a mercury lamp to compare the theoretical results with experiments performed with lamps. The surface UV flux of planets in the habitable zone of two active M dwarfs (Proxima Centauri and AD Leonis) and the prebiotic Earth was calculated using the photochemical model ATMOS, considering a CO2-N2-H2O atmosphere. We obtained UV absorption coefficients for DAMN and DAFN and thermodynamic parameters that are useful for prebiotic chemistry studies. According to our results, experiments using UV lamps may underestimate the photolysis production of molecules of prebiotic importance. Our results indicate that photolysis reactions are fast with a yield of 50% of AICN in 10 s for the young Sun and ∼1 h for Proxima Centauri b. Planets around active M dwarfs may provide the most favorable environment for UV-mediated production of compounds relevant to the origins of life. The kinetic reaction AICN + HCN adenine is the bottleneck of the pathway with reaction rates <10-22 L/(mol·s).
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Affiliation(s)
- M Zulema Armas-Vázquez
- Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | | | - Antígona Segura
- Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Heredia
- Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Arturo Miranda-Rosete
- Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
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Hortelano C, Ruiz-Bermejo M, de la Fuente JL. Kinetic Study of the Effective Thermal Polymerization of a Prebiotic Monomer: Aminomalononitrile. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15030486. [PMID: 36771787 PMCID: PMC9919159 DOI: 10.3390/polym15030486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Aminomalononitrile (AMN), the HCN formal trimer, is a molecule of interest in prebiotic chemistry, in fine organic synthesis, and, currently, in materials science, mainly for bio-applications. Herein, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements by means of non-isothermal experiments of the stable AMN p-toluenesulfonate salt (AMNS) showed successful bulk AMN polymerization. The results indicated that this thermally stimulated polymerization is initiated at relatively low temperatures, and an autocatalytic kinetic model can be used to appropriately describe, determining the kinetic triplet, including the activation energy, the pre-exponential factor, and the mechanism function (Eα, A and f(α)). A preliminary structural characterization, by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, supported the effective generation of HCN-derived polymers prepared from AMNS. This study demonstrated the autocatalytic, highly efficient, and straightforward character of AMN polymerization, and to the best of our knowledge, it describes, for the first time, a systematic and extended kinetic analysis for gaining mechanistic insights into this process. The latter was accomplished through the help of simultaneous thermogravimetry (TG)-DSC and the in situ mass spectrometry (MS) technique for investigating the gas products generated during these polymerizations. These analyses revealed that dehydrocyanation and deamination processes must be important elimination reactions involved in the complex AMN polymerization mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Hortelano
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial “Esteban Terradas” (INTA), Ctra. de Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Ruiz-Bermejo
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Ctra. de Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
| | - José L. de la Fuente
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial “Esteban Terradas” (INTA), Ctra. de Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
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Hortelano C, Ruiz-Bermejo M, de la Fuente JL. Air Effect on Both Polymerization Kinetics And Thermal Degradation Properties of Novel HCN Polymers Based on Diaminomaleonitrile. Polym Degrad Stab 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2022.110205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Ruiz-Bermejo M, García-Armada P, Valles P, de la Fuente JL. Semiconducting Soft Submicron Particles from the Microwave-Driven Polymerization of Diaminomaleonitrile. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14173460. [PMID: 36080535 PMCID: PMC9460857 DOI: 10.3390/polym14173460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The polymers based on diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN polymers) are a special group within an extensive set of complex substances, namely HCN polymers (DAMN is the formal tetramer of the HCN), which currently present a growing interest in materials science. Recently, the thermal polymerizability of DAMN has been reported, both in an aqueous medium and in bulk, offering the potential for the development of capacitors and biosensors, respectively. In the present work, the polymerization of this plausible prebiotic molecule has been hydrothermally explored using microwave radiation (MWR) via the heating of aqueous DAMN suspensions at 170–190 °C. In this way, polymeric submicron particles derived from DAMN were obtained for the first time. The structural, thermal decomposition, and electrochemical properties were also deeply evaluated. The redox behavior was characterized from DMSO solutions of these highly conjugated macromolecular systems and their potential as semiconductors was described. As a result, new semiconducting polymeric submicron particles were synthetized using a very fast, easy, highly robust, and green-solvent process. These results show a new example of the great potential of the polymerization assisted by MWR associated with the HCN-derived polymers, which has a dual interest both in chemical evolution and as functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Ruiz-Bermejo
- Departamento de Evolución Molecular, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Ctra. Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-915206458
| | - Pilar García-Armada
- Department of Industrial Chemical Engineering, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Valles
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial “Esteban Terradas” (INTA), Ctra. Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
| | - José L. de la Fuente
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial “Esteban Terradas” (INTA), Ctra. Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
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Lavado N, de la Concepción JG, Cintas P, Babiano R. Synthesis of C xN y-rich polycyclic oligomers from primeval monomers in aqueous media. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:3632-3646. [PMID: 35103738 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05204g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A multichannel, non-thermolytic and efficient pathway is described toward the formation of functionalized carbon nitride-like oligomers, starting from readily available cyanamide and glyoxal (in ratios >2), in aqueous media under mild conditions. Such oligomers can be isolated as stable solids that result from structures involving cyanamide self-additions along with structures formally derived from the condensation of cyanamide, dicyandiamide or melamine with glyoxal, leading occasionally to oxygen-containing units. The oligomeric aggregates have masses up to 500 u, as inferred from mass spectra analyses, and their formation can be rationalized in terms of polyadditions of cyanamide (up to 10-mer) and glyoxal. The latter is not only a willing reaction partner, but also promotes facile condensation by enhancing the reactivity of nitrile fragments and inducing a significant lowering of the energy barriers. This mechanistic surmise is also supported by DFT calculations of the early condensation steps. As a result, melamine/triazine-type structures are obtained in aquatic environments under much milder conditions than those usually required by other synthetic procedures. Moreover, our results also help unveil the abiotic processes affording complex organic matter on celestial bodies and early earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nieves Lavado
- Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, and IACYS-Unidad de Química Verde y Desarrollo Sostenible, Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Juan García de la Concepción
- Departamento de Astrofísica, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, and IACYS-Unidad de Química Verde y Desarrollo Sostenible, Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Pedro Cintas
- Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, and IACYS-Unidad de Química Verde y Desarrollo Sostenible, Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Reyes Babiano
- Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, and IACYS-Unidad de Química Verde y Desarrollo Sostenible, Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain.
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HCN-derived polymers from thermally induced polymerization of diaminomaleonitrile: A non-enzymatic peroxide sensor based on prebiotic chemistry. Eur Polym J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2021.110897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Pratto I, Busato MCA, Bittencourt PRS. Thermal and mechanical characterization of thermoplastic orthodontic aligners discs after molding process. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2021; 126:104991. [PMID: 34864573 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Polymeric aesthetic aligners were introduced in orthodontics as an innovative alternative to fixed appliances, however, their compositions and the thermal molding process may influence the biomechanical characteristics of these aligners. In this study four different clear aligner brands were used, ACE 035 Essix, C + Essix, Crystal 0.75 and Crystal 1.0, whose aim was to identify the thermal-processing influence on the mechanical and physicochemical properties of these materials, and to suggest a orthodontic sequence of wear for these appliances to achieve more effective treatment results. For the tensile tests the sample size calculation was based on probability distributions from the F test. The effect size used was 0.3, type 1 error of 0.05. Statistical Yield strength and Young's Modulus results were evaluated using the Shapiro-Wilk test. The groups were compared using the parametric test of analysis of variance, with Tukey post-test. Differences were statistically considered at the p < 0.05. The Infrared spectroscopy analysis showed no changes in the samples' chemical structure after thermal-processing. However, in the polypropylene aligner, differences were verified in the region attributed to the crystalline phase. Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis for the same sample showed a crystallinity fraction decrease due to relaxation between polymer chains after molding. In the tensile tests evaluated, the tensile strength and 'Young's modulus presented higher values for aligners containing 100% polyethylene terephthalate glycol. Performing an analogy exercise of the properties of orthodontic wires used in conventional fixed appliances and, relating them to orthodontic plastics, aligners composed of different materials and/or thicknesses could be used in increasing sequence in terms of the modulus of elasticity, starting with C+, which has a lower elastic modulus value, using the ACE 035 as an intermediate and finishing with the Crystal 0.75 and 1.0, providing the desired stiffness to the aligners for the final phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Pratto
- Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNIOESTE), Departamento de Odontologia, ZIP 85819-110, Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Mauro Carlos Agner Busato
- Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNIOESTE), Departamento de Odontologia, ZIP 85819-110, Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Paulo Rodrigo Stival Bittencourt
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Departamento Acadêmico de Química, Bloco I4, ZIP 85884-000, Medianeira, Paraná, Brazil.
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Grundke C, Kong C, Kampf CJ, Gupton BF, McQuade DT, Opatz T. Programmed Formation of HCN Oligomers through Organosulfur Catalysis. J Org Chem 2021; 86:10320-10329. [PMID: 34251206 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c01023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
An efficient, inexpensive, and reliable synthesis of diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN, 1) is described starting from readily available acetone cyanohydrin as the source of hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN) is known to be an important intermediate in heterocyclic and medicinal chemistry as well as being a possible precursor for the origin of life's hypothesis within prebiotic chemistry. The mechanism of its formation through organosulfur catalysis has been investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) using two newly synthesized cationic "marker" molecules as a tool that allows for sensitive detection. As a result, the proposed mechanism of a thiocyanate-mediated synthesis of the HCN tetramer DAMN starting from organic disulfides was confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Grundke
- Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Caleb Kong
- Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23220, United States
| | - Christopher J Kampf
- Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - B Frank Gupton
- Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23220, United States
| | - D Tyler McQuade
- Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23220, United States
| | - Till Opatz
- Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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Pérez-Fernández C, Ruiz-Bermejo M, Gálvez-Martínez S, Mateo-Martí E. An XPS study of HCN-derived films on pyrite surfaces: a prebiotic chemistry standpoint towards the development of protective coatings. RSC Adv 2021; 11:20109-20117. [PMID: 35479901 PMCID: PMC9033743 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra02658e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, the effect of mineral surfaces on increasing molecular complexity has been considered a major issue in studies about the origin of life. In contrast, herein, the effects of organic films derived from cyanide over an important prebiotic mineral, pyrite, are considered. An XPS spectroscopy study was carried out to understand the surface chemistry of the HCN-derived polymer/pyrite system. As a result, the simulation of a plausible prebiotic alkaline hydrothermal environment led to the identification of an NH4CN-based film with protective corrosion properties that immediately prevented the oxidation of the highly reactive pyrite surface. In addition, the effect of coating with antioxidant properties was preserved over a relatively long time, and the polymeric film was very stable under ambient conditions. These results increase the great potential of HCN polymers for development as a cheap and easily produced new class of multifunctional polymeric materials that also show promising and attractive insights into prebiotic chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Pérez-Fernández
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Dpto. Evolución Molecular Ctra. Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz 28850 Madrid Spain
| | - Marta Ruiz-Bermejo
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Dpto. Evolución Molecular Ctra. Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz 28850 Madrid Spain
| | - Santos Gálvez-Martínez
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Dpto. Evolución Molecular Ctra. Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz 28850 Madrid Spain
| | - Eva Mateo-Martí
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Dpto. Evolución Molecular Ctra. Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz 28850 Madrid Spain
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Hortelano C, Ruiz-Bermejo M, de la Fuente JL. Solid-state polymerization of diaminomaleonitrile: Toward a new generation of conjugated functional materials. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2021.123696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Abstract
HCN-derived polymers are a heterogeneous group of complex substances synthesized from pure HCN; from its salts; from its oligomers, specifically its trimer and tetramer, amino-nalono-nitrile (AMN) and diamino-maleo-nitrile (DAMN), respectively; or from its hydrolysis products, such as formamide, under a wide range of experimental conditions. The characteristics and properties of HCN-derived polymers depend directly on the synthetic conditions used for their production and, by extension, their potential applications. These puzzling systems have been known mainly in the fields of prebiotic chemistry and in studies on the origins of life and astrobiology since the first prebiotic production of adenine by Oró in the early years of the 1960s. However, the first reference regarding their possible role in prebiotic chemistry was mentioned in the 19th century by Pflüger. Currently, HCN-derived polymers are considered keys in the formation of the first and primeval protometabolic and informational systems, and they may be among the most readily formed organic macromolecules in the solar system. In addition, HCN-derived polymers have attracted a growing interest in materials science due to their potential biomedical applications as coatings and adhesives; they have also been proposed as valuable models for multifunctional materials with emergent properties such as semi-conductivity, ferroelectricity, catalysis and photocatalysis, and heterogeneous organo-synthesis. However, the real structures and the formation pathways of these fascinating substances have not yet been fully elucidated; several models based on either computational approaches or spectroscopic and analytical techniques have endeavored to shed light on their complete nature. In this review, a comprehensive perspective of HCN-derived polymers is presented, taking into account all the aspects indicated above.
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