Ring Contraction in Arylcarbenes and Arylnitrenes; Rearrangements of 1- and 3-Isoquinolylcarbenes and 2-Naphthylnitrene to Cyanoindenes.

Flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) of 1-(5-(13)C-5-tetrazolyl)isoquinoline 18 generates 1-((13)C-diazomethyl)isoquinoline 19 and 1-isoquinolyl-((13)C-carbene) 22, which undergoes carbene-nitrene rearrangement to 2-naphthylnitrene 23. The thermally generated nitrene 23 is observed directly by matrix-isolation ESR spectroscopy, but undergoes ring contraction to a mixture of 3- and 2-cyanoindenes 26 and 27 under the FVP conditions. The (13)C label distribution in the cyanoindenes was determined by (13)C NMR spectroscopy and indicates the occurrence of two parallel paths of ring contraction starting from 1-isoquinolylcarbene; path a via ring expansion to 3-aza-benzo[c]cyclohepta-1,2,4,6-tetraene 32 bifurcating to 2-naphthylnitrene 23 and 2-aza-benzobicyclo[3.

Rearrangements of 4-Quinolylcarbene, 3-Quinolylcarbene, and 2-Quinolylcarbene to 1-Naphthylnitrene and Cyanoindenes by Falling Solid Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis.

The relationship between 4-quinolylcarbene 17, 3-quinolylcarbene 21, 2-quinolylcarbene 25, and 1-naphthylnitrene 35 has been explored experimentally and computationally. The diazomethylquinolines generated from (5-tetrazolyl)quinolines or 1,2,3-triazolo[1,5-a]quinoline by conventional flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) were observed by IR spectroscopy. The carbenes were generated by falling solid flash vacuum pyrolysis (FS-FVP).

Triazoloazine-Diazomethylazine Valence Isomerization. [1,2,3]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridines and 2-Diazomethylpyridines.

2-Diazomethylpyridines 1D and 6D, the valence isomers of [1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridines 1T and 6T, have been observed directly at ∼2080 cm(-1) by a combination of mild flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) at 200-600 °C with low temperature IR spectroscopy. Calculations confirm a ca. 17 kcal/mol barrier for the formation of 2-diazomethylpyridine 1D from [1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine 1T, the diazo compound lying ca.

Intramolecular interactions in aminoacyl cyclic-3',5'-nucleotides.

Polymerization of amino-acid acyl cyclic-3',5'-nucleotides is postulated to be the origin of RNA and associated protein in prebiotic molecular evolution. The enthalpy change in the intramolecular interaction between the nucleotide base and the amino-acid side chain determines the stability of the particular complex, resulting in a preferred association (or coding) of a base for a particular amino acid. The compounds studied were glycine acyl cyclic-3',5'-guanylate where the strong hydrogen bond between protonated glycine and guanine N7 gives an enthalpy change of -0.

A plausible prebiotic synthesis of pyridoxal phosphate: vitamin B6 - a computational study.

A set of chemical reactions is proposed to account for the formation of pyridoxal phosphate, Vitamin B6, from a primeval atmosphere composed of cyanoacetylene, diacetylene, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, water, and a phosphoric acid. The reactions have been shown to be feasible from the overall enthalpy changes in the ZKE approximation at the HF and MP2/6-31G* level.

An ab initio computational study of thiamin synthesis from gaseous reactants of the interstellar medium.

A set of chemical reactions is proposed to account for the formation of thiamin derivatives from gaseous reactants that have been identified in the interstellar medium, and may have been relevant to a prebiotic atmosphere. The gaseous mixture consisted of methanimine, acetonitrile, cyanoacetylene, ammonia, acetylene, allylene, hydrogen sulfide, thioformaldehyde, and hydrogen in the presence of water. Most of the reactions appear to be exothermic.

Possible origin for porphin derivatives in prebiotic chemistry--a computational study.

A set of chemical reactions is postulated to account for the formation of the macrocyclic porphin structure, basic to the pyrrole derivatives chlorophyll, protoporphyrin, heme and bilirubin, important in photosynthesis, respiration and digestion. A set of equations is given for the prebiotic synthesis of porphin derivatives from the simple molecules; cyanoacetylene, diacetylene, carbon monoxide and ammonia that have been detected in space. A number of isomers of hydrogenated porphin arise which may lose hydrogen to give ultimately porphin and its dehydrogenated derivative.