LAPSE:2020.1242
Published Article
LAPSE:2020.1242
Characterization of HCN-Derived Thermal Polymer: Implications for Chemical Evolution
Saúl A. Villafañe-Barajas, Marta Ruiz-Bermejo, Pedro Rayo-Pizarroso, María Colín-García
December 22, 2020
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN)-derived polymers have been recognized as sources of relevant organic molecules in prebiotic chemistry and material sciences. However, there are considerable gaps in the knowledge regarding the polymeric nature, the physicochemical properties, and the chemical pathways along polymer synthesis. HCN might have played an important role in prebiotic hydrothermal environments; however, only few experiments use cyanide species considering hydrothermal conditions. In this work, we synthesized an HCN-derived thermal polymer simulating an alkaline hydrothermal environment (i.e., HCN (l) 0.15 M, 50 h, 100 °C, pH approximately 10) and characterized its chemical structure, thermal behavior, and the hydrolysis effect. Elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy suggest an important oxidation degree. The thermal behavior indicates that the polymer is more stable compared to other HCN-derived polymers. The mass spectrometric thermal analysis showed the gradual release of several volatile compounds along different thermal steps. The results suggest a complicate macrostructure formed by amide and hydroxyl groups, which are joined to the main reticular chain with conjugated bonds (C=O, N=O, −O−C=N). The hydrolysis treatment showed the pH conditions for the releasing of organics. The study of the synthesis of HCN-derived thermal polymers under feasible primitive hydrothermal conditions is relevant for considering hydrothermal vents as niches of chemical evolution on early Earth.
Keywords
alkaline hydrothermal systems, chemical evolution, HCN-derived thermal polymer, thermolysis
Subject
Suggested Citation
Villafañe-Barajas SA, Ruiz-Bermejo M, Rayo-Pizarroso P, Colín-García M. Characterization of HCN-Derived Thermal Polymer: Implications for Chemical Evolution. (2020). LAPSE:2020.1242
Author Affiliations
Villafañe-Barajas SA: Posgrado en Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Cd. Mx 04510, Mexico
Ruiz-Bermejo M: Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Dpto. Evolución Molecular, Ctra. Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
Rayo-Pizarroso P: Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Dpto. Evolución Molecular, Ctra. Torrejón-Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
Colín-García M: Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Cd. Mx 04510, Mexico [ORCID]
Journal Name
Processes
Volume
8
Issue
8
Article Number
E968
Year
2020
Publication Date
2020-08-11
Published Version
ISSN
2227-9717
Version Comments
Original Submission
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PII: pr8080968, Publication Type: Journal Article
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LAPSE:2020.1242
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doi:10.3390/pr8080968
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Dec 22, 2020
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CC BY 4.0
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Dec 22, 2020
 
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Calvin Tsay
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