Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T03:38:55.989Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

On the applicability of solventless and solid-state reactions to the meteoritic chemistry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 November 2011

Vera M. Kolb
Vera M. Kolb
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI 5314, USA e-mail: kolb@uwp.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Most chemical reactions on asteroids, from which meteors and meteorites originate, are hypothesized to occur primarily in the solid mixtures. Some secondary chemical reactions may have occurred during the periods of the aqueous alteration of the asteroids. A myriad of organic compounds have been isolated from the meteorites, but the chemical conditions during which they were formed are only partially elucidated. In this paper, we propose that numerous meteoritic organic compounds were formed by the solventless and solid-state reactions that were only recently explored in conjunction with the green chemistry. A typical solventless approach exploits the phenomenon of the mixed melting points. As the solid materials are mixed together, the melting point of the mixture becomes lower than the melting points of its individual components. In some cases, the entire mixture may melt upon mixing. These reactions could then occur in a melted state. In the traditional solid-state reactions, the solids are mixed together, which allows for the intimate contact of the reactants, but the reaction occurs without melting. We have shown various examples of the known solventless and solid-state reactions that are particularly relevant to the meteoritic chemistry. We have also placed them in a prebiotic context and evaluated them for their astrobiological significance.

Keywords

astrobiologychemistry on asteroidschemicals from meteoritessolventless reactionssolid-state reactionsgreen chemistry
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 11 , Issue 1 , January 2012 , pp. 43 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abramov, O. & Mojzsis, S.J. (2011). Abodes for life in carbonaceous asteroids? Icarus 213, 273–279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anastas, P.T. & Warner, J.C. (2000). Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
‘Asteroid’, http://en.wikipedia/org/wiki/Asteroid, The page was last modified on 9 September 2011. It was accessed on 9 September 2011. This article has 58 references and 23 external links.Google Scholar
Bettelheim, F., Brown, W.H. & March, J. (2004). Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry, 7th edn. Thomson/Brooks/Cole, Belmont, CA, pp. 652–655.Google Scholar
Bland, P.A., Jackson, M.D., Coker, R.F., Cohen, B.A., Webber, J.B.W., Lee, M.R., Duffy, C.M., Chater, R.J., Ardakani, M.G., McPhail, D.S., McComb, D.W. & Benedix, G.K. (2009). Why aqueous lateration in asteroids was isochemical: High porosity ≠ high permeability. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 287, 559–568.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carey, F.A. & Sundberg, R. (2007). Advanced Organic Chemistry, Part A: Structure and Mechanisms, 5th edn. Springer, New York, pp. 128–131.Google Scholar
Cave, G.W.V., Raston, C.L. & Scott, J.L. (2001). Recent advances in solventless organic reactions: towards benign synthesis with remarkable versatility. Chem. Commun. 2159–2169.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chapman, C.R. (1999). Asteroids. In The New Solar System, 4th edn, ed. Beatty, J.K., Petersen, C.C. & Chaikin, A., pp. 337–350. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.Google Scholar
Cronin, J.R. (1998). Clues from the origin of the Solar System: Meteorites. In Molecular Origins of Life, ed. Brack, A. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp. 119–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cronin, J.R., & Chang, S. (1993). Organic Matter in Meteorites: Molecular and Isotopic Analysis of the Murchison Meteorite. In The Chemistry of Life's Origins, ed. Greenberg, J.M., Mendoza-Gomez, C.X. & Pirronello, V., pp. 209–258. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dodrecht, The Netherlands.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cronin, J.R., Cooper, G.W. & Pizzarello, S. (1995). ‘Characteristics and formation of amino acids and hydroxyl acids of the Murchison meteorite.’ Adv. Space Res. 15(3), 91–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, G., Kimmich, N., Belisle, W., Sarinana, J., Brabham, K. & Garrel, L. (2001). Carbonaceous meteorites as a source of sugar-related organic compounds for the early Earth. Nature 414, 879–883.Google Scholar
Des Marais, D.J., Nuth, J.A. III, Alamandola, L.J., Boss, A.P., Farmer, J.D., Hoehler, T.M., Jakosky, B.M., Meadows, V.C., Pohorille, A., Runnegar, B. & Spormann, A.M. (2008). The NASA astrobiology roadmap. Astrobiology 8, 715–730.Google Scholar
De Rosa, M., Gambacorta, A. & Gliozzi, A. (1986). Structure, biosynthesis, and physicochemical properties of archaebacterial lipids. Microbiol. Rev. 50, 70–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Doxsee, K.M. & Hutchinson, J.E. (2004). Green Organic Chemistry, Strategies, Tools, and Laboratory Experiments. Thomson, Brooks/Cole, Toronto, Canada.Google Scholar
Duncan, P.B., Morrison, R.D. & Vavricka, E. (2005). Forensic identification of anthropogenic and naturally occurring sources of perchlorate. Environ. Forensics 6, 205–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fitz, D., Reiner, H. & Rode, B.M. (2007). Chemical evolution toward the origin of life. Pure Appl. Chem. 79, 2101–2117.Google Scholar
Fuller, P. & Kolb, V.M. (2011). Insights into the solid-state green reactions. In 11th Annual University of Wisconsin System Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, UW-Parkside, Kenosha, WI, Abstract P-72.Google Scholar
Glavin, D.P., Aubrey, A.D., Callahan, M.P., Dworkin, J.P., Elsila, J.E., Parker, E.T., Bada, J.L., Jenniskens, P. & Shaddad, M.H. (2010). Extraterrestrial amino acids in the Almahata Sitta meteorite. Meteor. Planet. Sci. 45, 1695–1709.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harwood, L.M., Moody, C. & Percy, J.M. (1999). Experimental Organic Chemistry, 2nd edn, pp. 100–101. Blackwell Science, Malden, MA.Google Scholar
Hayatsu, R., Winans, R.E., Scott, R.G., McBeth, R.L., Moore, L.P. & Studier, M.H. (1980). Phenolic ethers in the organic polymer of the Murchison meteorite. Science 207, 1202–1204.Google Scholar
Hecht, M.H., Kounaves, S.P., Quinn, R.C., West, S.J., Young, S.M.M., Ming, D.W., Catling, D.C., Clark, B.C., Boynton, W.V., Hoffman, J., DeFlores, L.P., Gospodinova, K., Kapit, J. & Smith, P.H. (2009). Detection of perchlorate and the soluble chemistry of Martian soil at the Phoenix Lander site. Science 325, 64–67.Google Scholar
Kates, M. (1993). Membrane Lipids of Archaea. In The Biochemistry of Archaea (Archaebacteria), ed. Kates, M., Kushner, D.J. & Matheson, A.T., pp. 261–295. Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaupp, G. (2005). Organic solid-state reactions with 100% yield. Top. Curr. Chem. 254, 95–183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kerridge, J.F. (1999). Formation and processing of organics in the early solar system. Space Sci. Rev. 90, 275–288.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kim, H.-J., Ricardo, A., Illangkoon, H.I., Kim, M.J., Carrigan, M.A., Frye, F. & Benner, S.A. (2011). Synthesis of carbohydrates in mineral-guided prebiotic cycles. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 9457–9486.Google Scholar
Kolb, V.M. (2010a). On the applicability of the green chemistry principles to sustainability of organic matter on asteroids. Sustainability 2, 1624–1631.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kolb, V.M. (2010b). Solventless and solid-state reactions as applied to the meteoritic chemistry. In Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology XIII, ed. Hoover, R.B., Levin, G.Y., Rozanov, A.Y. & Davis, P.C.W., pp. 1–13. The International Society for Optical Engineers (SPIE), Belingham, WA, SPIE, Vol. 7819, 781909.Google Scholar
Kolb, V.M. & Bajagic, M. (2006a). The Maillard reaction of the meteoritic amino acids. Astrobiology 6, 248.Google Scholar
Kolb, V.M. & Bajagic, M. (2006b). Prebiotic Significance of the Maillard Reaction: An Infra-red Study of the Maillard Melanoidins. In Continuing the Voyage of Discovery, ed. Yingst, R.A. Brandt, S.D., Borg, J., Dutch, S., Gustafson, M., Rudd, M. & Roethel, A. Proceedings of the 15th Annual Wisconsin Space Conference, Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, Green Bay, WI, Part Six, Chemistry.Google Scholar
Kolb, V.M., Bajagic, M., Liesch, P.J., Philip, A. & Cody, G.D. (2006). On the Maillard reaction of meteoritic amino acids. In Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology IX, ed. Hoover, R.B., Levin, G.Y. & Rozanov, A.Y., pp. 1–13. The International Society for Optical Engineers (SPIE), Belingham, WA, SPIE, vol. 6309, 63090B.Google Scholar
Kolb, V.M., Bajagic, M., Zhu, W. & Cody, G.D. (2005). Prebiotic Significance of the Maillard Reaction. In Astrobiology and Planetary Missions. Hoover, R.B., Levin, G.V., Rozanov, A.Y. & Gladstone, G.R. The International Society for Optical Engineers (SPIE), Belingham, WA, SPIE, vol. 5906, 59060T, pp. 1–11.Google Scholar
Kolb, V.M. & Liesch, P.J. (2008). Astrobiological relevance of phenols and their silicates. In Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology XI. Hoover, R.B., Levin, G.V., Rozanov, A.Y. & Davis, P.C., pp. 1–5. The International Society for Optical Engineers (SPIE), Belingham, WA, SPIE, vol. 7097, 709706.Google Scholar
Lambert, J.B., Gurusamy-Thangavelu, S. & Ma, K. (2010). The silicate-mediated formose reaction: bottom-up synthesis of sugars silicates. Science 329, 5944.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lambert, J.B., Lu, G., Singer, S.R. & Kolb, V.M. (2004). Silicate complexes of sugars in aqueous solution. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 9611–9625.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lancaster, M. (2002). Green Chemistry, An Introductory Text. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK.Google Scholar
Lankey, R.L. & Anastas, P.T. (2002). Advancing Sustainability through Green Chemistry and Engineering, ACS Symposium Series 823, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Laue, T. & Plagens, A. (2005). Named Organic Reactions, 2nd edn, pp. 4–10, Wiley, Chichester, UK.Google Scholar
Lurquin, P.F. (2003). The Origins of Life and the Universe. Columbia University Press, New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, S.L. (1953). A production of amino acids under possible primitive Earth conditions. Science 117, 528–529.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miller, S.L. (1955). Production of some organic compounds under possible primitive Earth conditions. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 77, 2352–2361.Google Scholar
Navarro-Gonzáles, R., Rainey, F.A., Molina, P., Bagaley, D.R., Hollen, B.J., de la Rosa, J., Small, A.M., Quinn, R.C., Grunthaner, F.J., Cáceres, L., Gomez-Silva, B. & McKay, C.P. (2003). Mars-like soils in the Atacama Desert, Chile, and the dry limits of microbial life. Science 302, 1018–1021.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raston, C.L. (2004). Versatility of ‘Alternative’ reaction media: solventless organic synthesis. Chem. Austr., May Issue, pp. 10–13.Google Scholar
Ricardo, A., Carrigan, M.A., Olcott, A.N. & Benner, S.A. (2004). Borate minerals stabilize ribose. Science 303, 196.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rothenberg, G., Downie, A.P., Raston, C.L. & Scott, J.L. (2001). Understanding solid/solid organic reactions. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123, 8701–8708.Google Scholar
Rubin, A.E. & Grossman, J.N. (2010). Meteorite and meteoroid: new comprehensive definitions. Meteor. Planet. Sci. 45, 114–122.Google Scholar
Schmitt-Kopplin, P., Gabelica, Z., Gougeon, R.D., Fekete, A., Kanawati, B., Harir, M., Gebefuegi, I., Eckel, G. & Hertkorn, N. (2010). High molecular diversity of extraterrestrial organic matter in Murchison meteorite revealed 40 years after its fall. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 107, 2763–2768.Google Scholar
Seeds, M.A. (1994). Foundation of Astronomy. Wadsworth Publishing Co., Belmont, CA, pp. 432–433, 574–558, 579–586.Google Scholar
Sephton, M.A. (2002). Organic compounds in carbonaceous meteorites. Nat. Prod. Rep. 19, 292–311.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sephton, M. & Gilmour, I. (2000). Macromolecular organic materials in carbonaceous chondrites: A review of their sources and their role in the origin of life on the early Earth. In Impacts and the Early Earth, ed. Gilmour, I. & Keoberl, C., pp. 27–49. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany.Google Scholar
Sephton, M.A., Wright, I.P., Gilmour, I., de Leeuw, J.W., Grady, M.M., & Pillinger, C.T. (2002). High molecular weight organic matter in Martian meteorites. Planet. Space Sci. 50, 711–716.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shaw, A.M. (2006). Astrochemistry, From Astronomy to Astrobiology, pp. 157–192, 225–255. Wiley, Chichester, UK.Google Scholar
Tanaka, K. (2009). Solvent-Free Organic Synthesis, 2nd edn, pp. 31, 33–35, 39–40, 43, 45, 51, 276, 288, 294. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany.Google Scholar
Tanaka, K. & Toda, F. (2000). Solvent-free organic syntheses. Chem. Rev. 100, 1025–1074.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, J.M. (1979). Organic reactions in the solid state: accident and design. Pure Appl. Chem. 51, 1065–1082.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tian, G., Yuan, H., Mu, Y., He, C. & Feng, S. (2007). Hydrothermal reactions from sodium hydrogen carbonate to phenol. Org. Lett. 9, 2019–2021.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Toda, F. (1995). Solid state organic chemistry: efficient reactions, remarkable yields, and stereoselectivity. Acc. Chem. Res. 28, 480–486.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Toda, F., Takumi, H. & Akehi, M. (1990). Efficient solid-state reactions of alcohols: dehydration, rearrangement, and substitution. J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. 00, 1270–1271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Voet, D., Voet, J.G. & Pratt, C.W. (2006). Fundamentals of Biochemistry; Life at the Molecular Level, 2nd edn, pp. 27–28, Wiley, Hoboken, New Jersey.Google Scholar