The radiolysis of aqueous ammonium cyanide - Compounds of interest to chemical evolution studies

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · J. Mol. Evol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01732951· OSTI ID:5970160

Draganic, Z D ^[1]; Jovanovic, S ^[2]

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1. Institute za Nuklearne Nauke, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
2. Beograd, Univerzitet, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Oxygen-free aqueous solutions of NH4CN (0.1 M, pH 9) were exposed to gamma rays from a Co-60 source, the mixture of nonvolatile products was fractionated, and the fractions were analyzed. The procedures were chosen to make effective investigations of radiolytic products, and to minimize the contributions of chemical changes which are known to occur in aqueous solution in the absence of ionizing radiation. It has been found that the main constituents are: urea, 25.9% an oligomer, very likely oligoimine (18.4%) and several fractions (about 50%) which release amino acids on hydrolysis. These fractions differ considerably, as shown by amino acid assay, enzymatic digestion, IR spectra, and biuret reaction. All these tests were found to be positive for two fractions in two further fractions the enzymatic cleavage was absent, but other tests were positive. Negative enzymatic and biuret tests, and no bands characteristic of amide or peptide, were found for a fraction whose hydrolysate consisted of 55% glycine. Although most of the isolated materials were found to be composite, the results of the analyses were sufficient for getting a reliable over-all picture of the chemical action of the ionizing radiation. The role of free radicals in reactions leading to the formations of radiolytic products was considered.

• OSTI ID: 5970160
• Journal Information: J. Mol. Evol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Mol. Evol.; (United States) Vol. 15; ISSN JMEVA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400600* -- Radiation Chemistry
AMIDES
AMINO ACIDS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CYANIDES
DECOMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GAMMA RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MIXTURES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADICALS
RADIOLYSIS
SOLUTIONS
UREA
YIELDS