Scientists from the Institute of Fundamental Physics in Madrid, Spain, recently observed the Taurus Molecular Cloud – a nearby region where new stars are being formed – using the Yebes telescope.
They identified two nitrile-containing molecules, malononitrile and maleonitrile, whose presence could shed light on the chemical processes that may have led to the origins of life in the universe, as reported by Room.
The Taurus Molecular Cloud is an interstellar gas and dust cloud, and the discovery of these nitriles highlights that complex chemical reactions are taking place in space, possibly mirroring the reactions that gave rise to life on Earth.
According to researchers, nitriles are crucial in the prebiotic synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, the building blocks of RNA and DNA, making this finding important for understanding the chemical origins of life.
Nitriles in space typically contain carbon-nitrogen triple bonds, which are very stable. However, interstellar chemistry is different from that on Earth.
In space, reaction outcomes are often determined by rate or probability rather than stability, favoring reactions that produce easily formed, resilient compounds such as nitriles. This abundance and resilience of nitriles support the idea that they could have played a role in early prebiotic chemistry.
To understand the formation of these molecules, the team investigated possible interstellar reactions that could create nitriles. Data analysis revealed that malononitrile and maleonitrile are significantly less abundant than comparable molecules containing a carbon-carbon triple bond.
Reactive carbon radicals – commonly found in these interstellar clouds – are more common than nitrile radicals, suggesting that carbon-based molecules form more easily than nitrile-based molecules.
The team notes that breaking the stable carbon-carbon triple bond is challenging, which could explain the prevalence of hydrocarbons in the Taurus Molecular Cloud.
Despite extensive simulations, the researchers were unable to identify reactions that could easily form nitriles under the cold conditions of interstellar space. They believe that uncovering these processes will require further investigation of newly discovered reactions in interstellar chemistry.
This research contributes to our growing understanding of the origins of life and could potentially lead to future discoveries of life beyond Earth.
