On the formation of pyridine in the interstellar medium

Parker, Dorian S.  N.; Kaiser, Ralf I.; Kostko, Oleg; Troy, Tyler P.; Ahmed, Musahid; Sun, Bing-Jian; Chen, Shih-Hua; Chang, A. H.  H.

doi:10.1039/c5cp02960k

On the formation of pyridine in the interstellar medium

Journal Article · Sun Nov 08 23:00:00 EST 2015 · Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP (Print)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/c5cp02960k· OSTI ID:1602916

Parker, Dorian S. N. ^[1]; Kaiser, Ralf I. ^[2]; Kostko, Oleg ^[3]; Troy, Tyler P. ^[3]; Ahmed, Musahid ^[3]; Sun, Bing-Jian ^[4]; Chen, Shih-Hua ^[4]; Chang, A. H. H. ^[4]

Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States); University of Hawaii at Manoa
Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
National Dong Hwa Univ., Shoufeng (Taiwan)

Nitrogen-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) have been proposed to play a key role in the astrochemical evolution of the interstellar medium, but the formation mechanism of even their simplest building block – the aromatic pyridine molecule – has remained elusive for decades. Here we reveal a potential pathway to a facile pyridine (C₅H₅N)) synthesis via the reaction of the cyano vinyl (C₂H₂CN) radical with vinyl cyanide (C₂H₃CN) in high temperature environments simulating conditions in carbon-rich circumstellar envelopes of Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars like IRC+10216. Since this reaction is barrier-less, pyridine can also be synthesized via this bimolecular reaction in cold molecular clouds such as in TMC-1. The synchronized aromatization of precursors readily available in the interstellar medium leading to nitrogen incorporation into the aromatic rings would open up a novel route to pyridine derivatives such as vitamin B3 and pyrimidine bases as detected in carbonaceous chondrites like Murchison.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Grant/Contract Number:: FG02-03ER15411; AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1602916

Journal Information:: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP (Print), Journal Name: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP (Print) Journal Issue: 47 Vol. 17; ISSN 1463-9076; ISSN PPCPFQ

Publisher:: Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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