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Thermal Wet Decomposition of Prussian Blue: Implications for Prebiotic Chemistry
Author(s) -
RuizBermejo Marta,
Rogero Celia,
MenorSalván César,
OsunaEsteban Susana,
MartínGago José Ángel,
VeintemillasVerdaguer Sabino
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
chemistry and biodiversity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1612-1880
pISSN - 1612-1872
DOI - 10.1002/cbdv.200900024
Subject(s) - prussian blue , chemistry , thermal decomposition , decomposition , salt (chemistry) , inorganic chemistry , cyanide , formamide , trimethylsilyl cyanide , cyanogen , ammonium oxalate , nuclear chemistry , organic chemistry , electrode , electrochemistry , catalysis
The complex salt named Prussian Blue, Fe 4 [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3 ⋅15 H 2 O, can release cyanide at pH>10. From the point of view of the origin of life, this fact is of interest, since the oligomers of HCN, formed in the presence of ammonium or amines, leads to a variety of biomolecules. In this work, for the first time, the thermal wet decomposition of Prussian Blue was studied. To establish the influence of temperature and reaction time on the ability of Prussian Blue to release cyanide and to subsequently generate other compounds, suspensions of Prussian Blue were heated at temperatures from room temperature to 150° at pH 12 in NH 3 environment for several days. The NH 3 wet decomposition of Prussian Blue generated hematite, α ‐Fe 2 O 3 , the soluble complex salt (NH 4 ) 4 [Fe(CN 6 )]⋅1.5 H 2 O, and several organic compounds, the nature and yield of which depend on the experimental conditions. Urea, lactic acid, 5,5‐dimethylhydantoin, and several amino acids and carboxylic acids were identified by their trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives. HCN, cyanogen (C 2 N 2 ), and formamide (HCONH 2 ) were detected in the gas phase by GC/MS analysis.