A Scenario from Interstellar Complex Organics to Terrestrial Life (1) Origins of Bioorganic Compounds and Their Chirality

Abstract

Formation of amino acids in interstellar space was experimentally examined. A mixture of CO (or CH₃OH), NH₃ and H₂O was irradiated with high energy particles or g-rays. A wide variety of amino acids were detected in the products after acid-hydrolysis. It was suggested that complex precursors of amino acids can be formed in interstellar dusts. When the amino acid precursors were irradiated with circular polarized UV from a synchrotron, enantiomeric excess of alanine was observed in the hydrolysate of the product.