EQUILIBRIUM OF α-AMINOACETONITRILE FORMATION FROM FORMALDEHYDE, HYDROGEN CYANIDE AND AMMONIA IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION: INDUSTRIAL AND PREBIOTIC SIGNIFICANCE

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/poc.610081105

The equilibrium constant, K_an(H2CO), for the formation of α-aminoacetonitrile from formaldehyde, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide was evaluated at 25 deg C.A first estimation of K_an(H2CO) was obtained from extrathermodynamic relationships of the type log K' vs Σ?*.The final value was then obtained from a comparison of the experimental and calculated pH dependences of α-hydroxy- and α-aminoacetonitrile concentrations.From these results, it appears that, after equilibrium, the ratio between the concentrations of the two precursors glycine and hydroxyethanoic acid, is a linear function of the concentration of free ammonia, i.e. /=21 at 25 deg C.