Journal of the American Chemical Society 2004-09-15

Mineral-assisted pathways in prebiotic synthesis: photoelectrochemical reduction of carbon(+IV) by manganese sulfide.

Xiang V Zhang, Scot T Martin, Cynthia M Friend, Martin A A Schoonen, Heinrich D Holland

Index: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126(36) , 11247-53, (2004)

Full Text: HTML

Abstract

Photoelectrochemistry on mineral surfaces has the potential to play a central role in the prebiotic syntheses of building blocks for biomolecules. In this study, photoreduction of C(+IV) as bicarbonate is used as a probe to investigate the photoelectrochemical properties of alabandite (MnS) colloidal particles. Our experimental results show that photoreduction occurs and that formate is the initial photoproduct. A quantum efficiency of 4.2% is obtained (pH = 7.5). The quantum efficiency is temperature-independent from 298 to 328 K. In addition to formate, longer chain carbon products are also produced. Ion chromatography shows the presence of acetate and propionate. Infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry indicate the formation of longer chain organic molecules that contain oxygenated functional groups. Our results suggest that some prebiotic syntheses could have occurred via photoelectrochemical reactions on semiconducting minerals.

Related Compounds

  • Thioxomanganese

Related Articles:

Unusual formation of single-crystal manganese sulfide microboxes co-mediated by the cubic crystal structure and shape.

2012-07-16

[Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 51(29) , 7267-70, (2012)]

Rapid and effective labeling of brain tissue using TAT-conjugated CdS:Mn/ZnS quantum dots.

2005-07-07

[Chem. Commun. (Camb.) (25) , 3144-6, (2005)]

Carcinogenic sulfide salts of nickel and cadmium induce H2O2 formation by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

1990-12-01

[Cancer Res. 50(23) , 7564-70, (1990)]

Use of a paramagnetic substance, colloidal manganese sulfide, as an NMR contrast material in rats.

1984-05-01

[J. Nucl. Med. 25(5) , 604-7, (1984)]

The big red shift of photoluminescence of Mn dopants in strained CdS: a case study of Mn-doped MnS-CdS heteronanostructures.

2010-05-19

[J. Am. Chem. Soc. 132(19) , 6618-9, (2010)]

More Articles...