Issue 3, 2012

Can cytosine, thymine and uracil be formed in interstellar regions? A theoretical study

Abstract

This theoretical study investigates possible synthetic routes to cytosine, uracil and thymine in the gas phase from precursor molecules that have been detected in interstellar media. Studies at the CCSD(T)/6-311++G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory suggest that: The reactions between :CCCNH and :CCCO with monosolvated urea may constitute viable interstellar syntheses of cytosine and uracil. No low energy equilibration between cytosine and uracil has been demonstrated. The interaction of :CH2 with the 5 C–H bond of uracil may form thymine in an energetically favourable reaction, but competing reactions where :CH2 reacts with double bonds and other CH and NH bonds of uracil, reduce the effectiveness of this synthesis. The reaction between the hydrated propional enolate anion and isocyanic acid may produce thymine, in a reaction sequence where ΔGreaction(298 K) is −22 kJ mol−1 and the maximum energy requirement (barrier to the first transition state) is only 47 kJ mol−1.

Graphical abstract: Can cytosine, thymine and uracil be formed in interstellar regions? A theoretical study

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
09 Aug 2011
Accepted
04 Oct 2011
First published
05 Oct 2011

Org. Biomol. Chem., 2012,10, 652-662

Can cytosine, thymine and uracil be formed in interstellar regions? A theoretical study

T. Wang and J. H. Bowie, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2012, 10, 652 DOI: 10.1039/C1OB06352A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements