Guanine, Adenine, and Hypoxanthine Production in UV‐Irradiated Formamide Solutions: Relaxation of the Requirements for Prebiotic Purine Nucleobase Formation

Abstract

Relaxed requirements: We demonstrate the formation of adenine, hypoxanthine, and guanine from heated (130 °C), UV-irradiated formamide solutions in the absence of an inorganic catalyst. Evidence is also provided that "classical" HCN pathways for purine nucleobase production are also active in heated and UV-irradiated formamide reactions. (Chemical Equation Presented) © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH& Co. KGaA.