Is "silicate life" possible?

Abstract

The simplest theory of chemical reactions (including also structural isomerisation reactions) is based on the model of potential barrier overcoming which separates combining states (chemical forms) of molecular objects. In a more complicated model not only the zero but other oscillation level positions are taken into account that in the theory of temperature reactions leads to the statistical sum changes on the states. In all traditional models only energetic factors are taken into consideration. A close structural similarity of some organic and silicon organic compositions (for example, paraffins and silans) and similarity of electron building of carbon and silicon atoms, that also reflects in the similarity of their atomic orbitals, were noticed by researchers long ago. These options cause an idea of a possibility of what can be called "the silicate life". In connection with new visions at the mechanism of the elementary act at chemical reactions there was an opportunity to consider some chemical factors which influence the run of the reactions that earlier had slipped out from the attention. © 2009 Springer Netherlands.