Boreskov

OP‐9SYNTHESIS OF BIOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT METABOLITES FROMFORMALDEHYDE VIA PHOTOINDUCED AND CATALYTIC PROCESSES UNDER“PREBIOTIC” CONDITIONSTaran O. 1 , Delidovich I. 1 , Simonov A. 1 , Parmon V. 1,21 Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation2 Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russian FederationThe majority of the proposed chemical evolution hypotheses recognize the importanceof the first step of the ‘origin of life’ process, i.e. organic synthesis of the biologicallyimportant molecules (amino acids, sugars, nucleobases, etc.) from the simplest inorganicsubstrates. Our own and previously reported data on catalytic and photochemical processesyielding biologically important molecules will be analyzed in the presentation.It have been shown UV‐irradiation of formaldehyde aqueous solution yieldsacetaldehyde, glyoxal, glycolaldehyde and glyceraldehyde [1], which can serve as precursorsof more complex biochemically relevant compounds. In turn, photolysis of aqueous solutionof acetaldehyde and ammonium nitrate results in formation of alanine and pyruvic acid [2].Dehydration of glyceraldehyde catalyzed by zeolite yields pyruvaldehyde. Monosaccharidesare formed in the course of the phosphate‐catalyzed aldol condensation reactions ofglycolaldehyde, glyceraldehyde and formaldehyde [3]. The possibility of the direct synthesisof tetroses, keto‐ and aldo‐ pentoses from pure formaldehyde due to the combination of thephotochemical production of glycolahyde and phosphate‐catalyzed carbohydrate chaingrowth is also demonstrated. Erythrulose and 3‐pentulose are the main products of suchcombined synthesis with selectivity up to 10%. Biologically relevant aldotetroses, aldo‐ andketopentoses (particularly ribose) are formed as products of izomerisation of erythruloseand 3‐pentulose and are more resistant to the photochemical destruction owing to thestabilization in hemiacetal cyclic forms.The conjugation of the concerned reactions results in a plausible route to the formationof sugars, amino and organic acids and pyruvaldehyde from the simplest C 1 (formaldehyde)and N 1 (ammonia) substrates under presumed ‘prebiotic’ conditions which could have beenrealized on the early Earth.[1]. Pestunova O.P., Simonov A.S. et al, Advances Space Research, 36/2 (2005), 214‐219.[2]. Telegina T.A., Avakyan K.A, Pavlovskaya T.E. J Evol Biochem Physiol 13 (1977), 429‐434 (in Russian).[3]. Delidovich I.V., Taran O.P. et alAdvances in Space Research, 48 (2011) 441–449.44