Thermal Wet Decomposition of Prussian Blue: Implications for Prebiotic Chemistry |
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Authors: | Marta Ruiz‐Bermejo Celia Rogero César Menor‐Salván Susana Osuna‐Esteban José?Ángel Martín‐Gago Sabino Veintemillas‐Verdaguer |
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Institution: | 1. Centro de Astrobiología (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas‐Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (CSIC‐INTA)), Carretera Torrejón‐Ajalvir, Km. 4.2, ES‐28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid (phone: +34?91?520?6402/6458;2. fax: +34?91?5206410);3. Instituto de Ciencias de Materiales de Madrid (CSIC), C/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, 3, Cantoblanco, ES‐28049 Madrid |
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Abstract: | The complex salt named Prussian Blue, Fe4Fe(CN)6]3?15 H2O, can release cyanide at pH>10. From the point of view of the origin of life, this fact is of interest, since the oligomers of HCN, formed in the presence of ammonium or amines, leads to a variety of biomolecules. In this work, for the first time, the thermal wet decomposition of Prussian Blue was studied. To establish the influence of temperature and reaction time on the ability of Prussian Blue to release cyanide and to subsequently generate other compounds, suspensions of Prussian Blue were heated at temperatures from room temperature to 150° at pH 12 in NH3 environment for several days. The NH3 wet decomposition of Prussian Blue generated hematite, α‐Fe2O3, the soluble complex salt (NH4)4Fe(CN6)]?1.5 H2O, and several organic compounds, the nature and yield of which depend on the experimental conditions. Urea, lactic acid, 5,5‐dimethylhydantoin, and several amino acids and carboxylic acids were identified by their trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives. HCN, cyanogen (C2N2), and formamide (HCONH2) were detected in the gas phase by GC/MS analysis. |
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Keywords: | Prebiotic chemistry Origin of life Prussian Blue Cyanide oligomers |
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