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Synthesis of complex molecules in interstellar clouds

Journal Article · · Astrophys. J.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/157207· OSTI ID:6038967
Smith and Adams have recently proposed that radiative association reactions can proceed rapidly at the low temperatures found in interstellar clouds. We propose radiative association reactions of CH/sub 3//sup +/, CH/sub 3/O/sup +/, CH/sub 3/CO/sup +/, CH/sub 5//sup +/, HCO/sup +/, NO/sup +/, and H/sub 2/CN/sup +/, and several bimolecular reactions of CH/sub 3//sup +/, C/sub 2/H/sub 2//sup +/, and NH/sub 3//sup +/, which, if they occur at the low temperatures of interstellar molecular clouds, can effectively synthesize a large number of the more complex interstellar species including CH/sub 4/, NH/sub 3/, CH/sub 3/OH, CH/sub 2/O, CH/sub 2/CO, CH/sub 3/CHO, CH/sub 3/CH/sub 2/OH, CH/sub 3/OCH/sub 3/, CH/sub 3/OOCH, CH/sub 2/,NH, CH/sub 3/NH/sub 2/, CH/sub 3/CN, HCOOH, HNCO, NH/sub 2/CN, CH/sub 3/C/sub 2/H, and HNO. New laboratory data are required in order to verify that these species can be synthesized by the proposed reactions. It appears, however, that gas-phase ion chemistry may indeed be capable of synthesizing the most complex of interstellar molecules.
Research Organization:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
OSTI ID:
6038967
Journal Information:
Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 231:2; ISSN ASJOA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English