CATALYSIS: THE GUIDE OF LIFE 



115 



Morgan found that the addition of cobalt to the catalyst gave mainly 

 straight-chain alcohols, rather than the branching-chain alcohols 

 formed by alkalized catalysts. This is shown by the following table 

 which gives in parts per thousand, the alcoholic content of the liquid 

 formed by passing the same mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen 

 over different catalysts, under like conditions of temperature and 

 pressure. 



In concluding his address before the Societe Chimique de Belgique 32 

 Morgan said: 



"All these experiments are of special significance, for they permit 

 us to see the enormous variety of organic compounds which can be 

 synthesized by secondary reactions following primary condensation of 

 carbon monoxide and hydrogen, a gaseous mixture well known under 

 the name of 'water gas,' made on a large scale from coal and steam. 



"Up to the present time these condensations have been studied at 

 temperatures higher than the decomposition of many organic com- 

 pounds. With higher pressures and more efficient catalysts, we may 

 some day expect to lower the reaction temperature very materially. 

 When we shall have reached this point, the synthesis of organic com- 

 pounds of great complexity should be possible and among these 

 products we will find organic substances which up to now can be 

 formed only by the chemical activity of living beings." 



Biocatalysts; Prosthetic Groups; Symplexes 



The course of chemical change in organisms is directed by 

 catalyst units of colloidal dimensions — enzymes and genes, and 

 perhaps also by units in some symbionts, and units fixed at or on 

 various surfaces. Whereas with primal bionts gene-like units were 

 probably the sole directors of life chemistry, in higher forms we 

 find thread-like aggregations of genes (chromosomes) and a great 



