Mechanochemical Activation of Iron Cyano Complexes: A Prebiotic Impact Scenario for the Synthesis of α-Amino Acid Derivatives

Carsten Bolm; Rita Mocci; Christian Schumacher; Mathias Turberg; Francesco Puccetti; José G Hernández

doi:10.1002/anie.201713109

Mechanochemical Activation of Iron Cyano Complexes: A Prebiotic Impact Scenario for the Synthesis of α-Amino Acid Derivatives

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2018 Feb 23;57(9):2423-2426. doi: 10.1002/anie.201713109. Epub 2018 Feb 5.

Authors

Carsten Bolm¹, Rita Mocci², Christian Schumacher¹, Mathias Turberg¹, Francesco Puccetti^{1

3}, José G Hernández¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Organic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
² Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, SS 554 bivio per Sestu, 09028, Monserrato (CA), Italy.
³ Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.

PMID: 29334423
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201713109

Abstract

Mechanochemical activation of iron cyano complexes by ball milling results in the formation of HCN, which can be trapped and incorporated into α-aminonitriles. This prebiotic impact scenario can be extended by mechanochemically transforming the resulting α-aminonitriles into α-amino amides using a chemical route related to early Earth conditions.

Keywords: Strecker reaction; cyanide; iron; mechanochemistry; prebiotic chemistry.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't