Sugars in Space: A Quantum Chemical Study on the Barrierless Formation of Dihydroxyacetone in the Interstellar Medium

Among many theories on the life’s origins, regions between star systems in a galaxy is hypothesized to provide prebiotic material on Earth. Simple sugars, including glycolaldehyde, are confirmed to exist in interstellar medium (ISM) and can be intermediates in the formose reaction to form dihydroxyacetone or DHA. In the studied segment of the formose reaction, hydroxy carbene is sequentially added to formaldehyde, forming glycolaldehyde (hydroxyacetaldehyde) after the first addition and glycerone in the second. The proposed theoretical mechanism was validated through quantum chemical calculations. An exothermic and exergonic pathway favourable in ISM conditions was found, giving a possible explanation for glycerone formation. The products in question participates in biological processes like energy production, the phosphorylated form of glycerone, DHA-P, participates in glycolysis, and energy storage while glycerone is the source of the glycerine backbone in lipids. The studied reaction is a segment of the formose reaction and further polymerization can lead to pentose and hexose, which take part in the formation of RNA and DNA. Hence, this research explores the hypothesis of exogenous production and delivery of prebiotic material to Earth, building up to the conditions allowing the formation of rudimentary lifeforms.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author