An interstellar synthesis of phosphorus oxoacids

Andrew M. Turner, Alexandre Bergantini, Matthew J. Abplanalp, Cheng Zhu, Sándor Góbi, Bing-Jian Sun, Kang-Heng Chao, Agnes H. H. Chang, Cornelia Meinert and Ralf I. Kaiser ()
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Andrew M. Turner: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Alexandre Bergantini: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Matthew J. Abplanalp: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Cheng Zhu: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Sándor Góbi: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Bing-Jian Sun: National Dong Hwa University
Kang-Heng Chao: National Dong Hwa University
Agnes H. H. Chang: National Dong Hwa University
Cornelia Meinert: Institut de Chimie de Nice
Ralf I. Kaiser: University of Hawaii at Manoa

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Phosphorus signifies an essential element in molecular biology, yet given the limited solubility of phosphates on early Earth, alternative sources like meteoritic phosphides have been proposed to incorporate phosphorus into biomolecules under prebiotic terrestrial conditions. Here, we report on a previously overlooked source of prebiotic phosphorus from interstellar phosphine (PH3) that produces key phosphorus oxoacids—phosphoric acid (H3PO4), phosphonic acid (H3PO3), and pyrophosphoric acid (H4P2O7)—in interstellar analog ices exposed to ionizing radiation at temperatures as low as 5 K. Since the processed material of molecular clouds eventually enters circumstellar disks and is partially incorporated into planetesimals like proto Earth, an understanding of the facile synthesis of oxoacids is essential to untangle the origin of water-soluble prebiotic phosphorus compounds and how they might have been incorporated into organisms not only on Earth, but potentially in our universe as well.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06415-7

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