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Catalysis in the 3rd Dimension: How Organic Molecules May be FormedCatalysis is often little more than a word to phenomenologically describe the fact that a reaction follows a pat1 that leads to products of an unexpected kind or of unexpected yield. Low activation energy barriers for intermediates are recognized as the most likely cause why a system deviates from the thermodynamic pull towards minimizing its free energy and ends up in a metastable state. Seldom is the mechanism known. This i: particularly true for heterogeneous catalysis under hydrothermal conditions with minerals as catalysts. It is commonly assumed that catalytic action takes place across solid-fluid interfaces and that, on the atomic level, interfaces are just 2-dimensional contacts. This makes it difficult to understand, for instance, the assembly of long-chain carboxylic (fatty) acids. 3y studying single crystals that grew from a melt in the presence of H2O and CO2, we can show: (1) that numerals take up the fluid components into solid solution, (2) that some-thing happens converting them to -educedH and C, (3) that C atoms segregate into dislocations and tie C-C bonds. The products are medium-to-long chain Cn protomolecules, with some C-H attached, pre-assembled in the dislocations. Upon solvent extraction, these proto-molecules turn into carboxylic and dicarboxylic acids. This observation suggests that, in a very elementary step, catalysis under hydrothermal conditions leading to fatty acids involves the pre-assembly of Cn entities in the interface that is not 2-D but extends into the 3rd dimension, with dislocations as synthesis sites.
Document ID
20030107827
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Freund, Friedemann
(Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Inst. Moffett Field, CA, United States)
DeVincenzi, D.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2001
Subject Category
Nonmetallic Materials
Meeting Information
Meeting: 221st ACS National Meeting
Location: San Diego, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: April 1, 2001
End Date: April 5, 2001
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC2-1148
OTHER: UPN 344-00-00
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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