Mechanism of Synthesis of Adenine from Hydrogen Cyanide under Possible Primitive Earth Conditions (original) (raw)

Nature volume 191, pages 1193–1194 (1961)Cite this article

Abstract

IT has recently been shown that adenine and the purine precursors 4-aminoimidazole-5-carboxamidine and formamidine are formed spontaneously from hydrogen cyanide in water–ammonia systems under conditions assumed to have existed on the primitive Earth1.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Oró, J., Biochem. Biophys. Research Comm., 2, 407 (1960); Oró, J., Nature, 190, 389 (1961); Oró, J., and Kimball, A. P., Arch. Biochem. Biophys (in the press).
    Article Google Scholar
  2. Grossman, F., Cristopher, J., and Canavan, G., in Proc. Nat. Sci. Found. Summer Inst. for High School Juniors, 8 (University of Houston, 1960). Oró, J., Fed. Proc., 20, 352 (1961); Proc. Fifth Intern. Cong. Bioehem., Moscow (in the press).
    Google Scholar
  3. Völker, T., Angew. Chem., 62, 728 (1957); Angew. Chem., 72, 379 (1960).
    Google Scholar
  4. Lange, O., Ber., 6, 99 (1873); Wippermann, R., Ber., 7, 767 (1874). See also: Long, D. A., and George, W. D., Proc. Chem. Soc., 285 (1960).
    Article Google Scholar
  5. Bredereck, H., Schmötzer, G., and Becher, H. S., Ann., 600, 87 (1956).
    CAS Google Scholar
  6. Richter, E., Loeffler, J. E., and Taylor, E. C., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 82, 3144 (1960).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  7. Taylor, E. C., and Cheng, C. C., Tetrahedron Letters, No. 12, 9 (1959).
    Article Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry Department, University of Houston, Houston, 4, Texas
    J. ORÓ

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ORÓ, J. Mechanism of Synthesis of Adenine from Hydrogen Cyanide under Possible Primitive Earth Conditions.Nature 191, 1193–1194 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/1911193a0

Download citation

This article is cited by