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Dicarboxylic acids from electric discharge

Nature volume 251, pages 42–43 (1974)Cite this article

Abstract

OPARIN1 and Urey2 have suggested that methane, ammonia, hydrogen and water were present in the primitive atmosphere of the Earth. Significant yields of amino, hydroxy, and monocarboxylic acids have been produced by the action of electric discharge on such a primordial gas mixture3,4; and numerous chemical evolution experiments have produced many types of biologically significant molecules5. Apart from the detection of succinic acid3,4,6, no other dicarboxylic acids have been reported in chemical evolution experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Evolution Branch, Planetary Biology Division, Ames Research Center, NASA, Moffett Field, California, 94035

    BEN ZEITMAN, SHERWOOD CHANG & JAMES G. LAWLESS

Authors
  1. BEN ZEITMAN
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  2. SHERWOOD CHANG
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  3. JAMES G. LAWLESS
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ZEITMAN, B., CHANG, S. & LAWLESS, J. Dicarboxylic acids from electric discharge. Nature 251, 42–43 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/251042a0

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