Origin of organic matter in early solar system—II. Nitrogen compounds

Abstract Previous identifications of nitrogen compounds in the Orgueil meteorite were confirmed. Guanylurea was identified as an additional, major constituent (270 ppm). All of the nitrogen compounds seen in carbonaceous chondrites (adenine, guanine, melamine, ammeline and guanylurea) form spontaneously, in yields of 0·1–0·5%, when CO, H 2 and NH 3 are allowed to react in the presence of iron meteorite powder. Cytosine, cyanuric acid, biuret and urea also form, along with an assortment of hydrocarbons similar to those in meteorites. These results support the suggestion of Studier, Hayatsu and Anders that the organic compounds in meteorites formed in the solar nebula, by spontaneous reactions of CO, H 2 and NH 3 . A large part of the prebiotic organic matter on the Earth may have originated in a similar manner.

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