Formation of Organic Compounds 



89 



as in runs without autoclaving. In addition the apparatus was 80-100° during 

 the run, the alanine was racemic, and the organic compounds do not represent 

 the distribution one would expect if produced by living organisms. For these 

 reasons it is stated with confidence that the organic compounds in the system 

 were synthesized without the aid of micro-organisms. 



The next problem in attempting to understand the chemistry of the system 

 is to determine which compounds are formed in the elearic discharge and which 

 reactions are taking place in the solution phase of the system. The following 

 alternative hypotheses will be made for the synthesis of the products : (i) Hydrogen 

 cyanide, aldehydes, acrylonitrile, aliphatic nitriles, amines and part of the poly- 

 mers are synthesized in the electric discharge, and the amino, hydroxy and 

 aliphatic acids are formed by hydrolysis of the respective nitriles in the solution. 

 (2) All the products identified were synthesized in the gas phase from radicals 

 and ions formed in the electric discharge. 



In order to determine a few of the direct products of the electric discharge, 

 samples were withdrawn from the U-tube during the course of a run. Hydrogen 

 cyanide was quahtatively detected by the Prussian Blue test and estimated by 

 titration with AgNOa. Formaldehyde was detected qualitatively by chromo- 

 tropic acid and acetaldehyde by ^-hydroxy diphenyl [11]. The total aldehydes 

 (and ketones) were estimated with 2:4-dinitrophenylhydrazine [12]. 



Figure 2 shows the concentrations of ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and alde- 

 hydes in the U-tube and amino acids in the 500 ml flask during the sparking 

 of a mixture of methane, ammonia, water and hydrogen. It is seen that the 



o 4 



J5 3 



75 



Time, 



Fig. 2. Concentrations of ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and aldehydes in the 

 U-tube, and amino acids in the 500 ml flask while sparking a mixture of methane, 

 ammonia, water, and hydrogen in the apparatus of Fig. i. 



