http://http://dspace.unitus.it:80 The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. Sun, 26 May 2013 08:40:26 GMT 2013-05-26T08:40:26Z http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1820 Title: Role of clays in the prebiotic synthesis of sugar derivatives from formamide Authors: Saladino, Raffaele; Neri, Veronica; Crestini, Claudia Abstract: We describe here the role of montmorillonite KSF in the prebiotic synthesis of amino sugar derivatives starting from a mixture of formamide and formaldehyde as simple chemical precursors. Since amino sugars are key intermediates in the synthesis of complex nucleic acid derivatives, this procedure opens a novel pathway for the formation of nucleosides under plausible primordial conditions Description: L'articolo é disponibile sul sito dell'editore: http://www.informaworld.com Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1820 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1821 Title: The role of the formamide/zirconia system in the synthesis of nucleobases and biogenic carboxylic acid derivatives Authors: Saladino, Raffaele; Neri, Veronica; Crestini, Claudia; Costanzo, Giovanna; Graciotti, Michele; Di Mauro, Ernesto Abstract: We describe the one-pot synthesis of a large variety of nucleic acid bases and related compounds from formamide in the presence of zirconium minerals as catalysts. The major products observed are: purine, 2-hydroxy pyrimidine, 5-hydroxy pyrimidine, isocytosine, adenine, urea, and carbodiimide. The synthesis of low molecular weight amides and carboxylic acid derivatives (intermediates of extant metabolism) was also observed: glyoxylamide, glycolic-, lactic-, succinic-, oxalic-, fumaric-, and maleic acids. As the major problem in the origin of informational polymers is the instability of their precursors, we also investigated the effects of zirconia minerals on the stability of ribooligonucleotides in formamide and in water. The relevance of these findings with respect to the origin of informational polymers and primordial metabolism is discussed. Description: L'articolo é disponibile sul sito dell'editore: http://www.springerlink.com Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1821 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z