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Rapf RJ, Perkins RJ, Yang H, Miyake GM, Carpenter BK, Vaida V. Photochemical Synthesis of Oligomeric Amphiphiles from Alkyl Oxoacids in Aqueous Environments. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:6946-6959. [PMID: 28481114 PMCID: PMC5518611 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b01707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The aqueous phase photochemistry of a series of amphiphilic α-keto acids with differing linear alkyl chain lengths was investigated, demonstrating the ability of sunlight-initiated reactions to build molecular complexity under environmentally relevant conditions. We show that the photochemical reaction mechanisms for α-keto acids in aqueous solution are robust and generalizable across alkyl chain lengths. The organic radicals generated during photolysis are indiscriminate, leading to a large mixture of photoproducts that are observed using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, but these products are identifiable following literature photochemical mechanisms. The alkyl oxoacids under study here can undergo a Norrish Type II reaction to generate pyruvic acid, increasing the diversity of observed photoproducts. The major products of this photochemistry are covalently bonded dimers and trimers of the starting oxoacids, many of which are multi-tailed lipids. The properties of these oligomers are discussed, including their spontaneous self-assembly into aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J. Rapf
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Russell J. Perkins
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Haishen Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Garret M. Miyake
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Barry K. Carpenter
- School of Chemistry and the Physical Organic Chemistry Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Veronica Vaida
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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Rapf RJ, Vaida V. Sunlight as an energetic driver in the synthesis of molecules necessary for life. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:20067-84. [DOI: 10.1039/c6cp00980h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
This review considers how photochemistry and sunlight-driven reactions can abiotically generate prebiotic molecules necessary for the evolution of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J. Rapf
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- CIRES
- University of Colorado at Boulder
- Boulder
- USA
| | - Veronica Vaida
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- CIRES
- University of Colorado at Boulder
- Boulder
- USA
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Griffith EC, Rapf RJ, Shoemaker RK, Carpenter BK, Vaida V. Photoinitiated Synthesis of Self-Assembled Vesicles. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136:3784-7. [DOI: 10.1021/ja5006256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C. Griffith
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, UCB 215, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- CIRES, UCB 215, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Rebecca J. Rapf
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, UCB 215, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- CIRES, UCB 215, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Richard K. Shoemaker
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, UCB 215, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Barry K. Carpenter
- Physical
Organic Chemistry Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Veronica Vaida
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, UCB 215, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- CIRES, UCB 215, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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