A Novel Synthesis of Biomolecular Precursors

Abstract

A review. We discuss the role of formamide, a product of hydrolysis of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), as precursor of relevant components of nucleic acids in prebiotic conditions and describe the efficient synthesis of purine, adenine, cytosine, thymine, and 5-hydroxymethyluracil. The remarkable formation of some purine acyclonucleosides is also reported, providing a possible soln. to the problem of the elusive origin of nucleosides under prebiotic conditions. The role of catalysts as CaCO3, silica, alumina, TiO2 and others in enhancing and variegating the yields of these compds. is described. In addn., formamide acts as a selective agent in the degrdn. of bases, nucleosides and DNA oligomers. Taken together, these observations reveal a formamide-based synthesis/degrdn. cycle whose properties provide an equilibration mechanism for the pool of prebiotic precursors. [on SciFinder(R)]