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Chemical Evolution from Hydrogen Cyanide: Photochemical Decarboxylation of Orotic Acid and Orotate Derivatives

1978; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Volume: 201; Issue: 4353 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1126/science.208152

1095-9203

James P. Ferris, P. C. Joshi,

bioluminescence and chemiluminescence research

Irradiation of solutions at pH 7 to pH 8.5 of orotic acid, orotidine, and orotidine 5′-phosphate with light at 254 nanometers yields the corresponding uracil derivative via the singlet excited state. This reaction completes a plausible prebiotic synthesis of uracil and its derivatives starting from HCN as the only carbon source.