Formation of Complex Organic Compounds in Molecular Cloud Environments and Their Roles in Origins of Life

Abstract

Possible interstellar media was irradiated with high energy protons or heavy ions. A mixture of methanol, ammonia and water was irradiated with carbon ions (290 MeV/u), molecular weights of both products were ca. 2300, either at room temperature or 77 K. Both products gave amino acids after hydrolysis, whose energy yields were almost the same. It is suggested that organic compounds formed in molecular clouds have quite complex structures containing precursors of bioorganic molecules.