REACTION OF ATOMIC CARBON WITH AMMONIA. THE MECHANISM OF FORMATION OF AMINO ACID PRECURSORS.

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00341a031

The reaction of arc-generated carbon atoms with ammonia have been investigated. Primary reactions of C//1 are NH insertion and hydrogen abstraction. The NH insertion leads to methyleneamine (1) and HCN. The hydrogen abstraction proceeds in a stepwise manner to generate CH//2, which reacts with NH//3 to produce CH//3NH//2. Hydrolysis of the nonvolatile residue from this reaction produces the amino acids glycine, alanine, N-methylglycine, beta -alanine, and aspartic acid. Serine is also formed when H//2O is included with the reactants. The mechanism of formation of the amino acid precursors is discussed. Labeling experiments (**2H and **1**3C) rule out a hydrogen cyanide polymer as a major precursor to the amino acids. These studies may provide information on extraterrestrial amino acids. Refs.