Methyl isocyanate (CH3NCO): an important missing organic in current astrochemical networks

Abstract

Abstract Methyl isocyanate (CH3NCO) is one of the important complex organic molecules detected on the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko by Rosetta’s Philae lander. It was also detected in hot cores around high-mass protostars along with a recent detection in the solar-type protostar IRAS 16293−2422. We propose here a gas-grain chemical model to form CH3NCO after reviewing various formation pathways with quantum chemical computations. We have used nautilus three-phase gas-grain chemical model to compare observed abundances in the IRAS 16293−2422. Our chemical model clearly indicates the ice phase origin of CH3NCO.