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Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
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Published on: July 1, 2019

Spatial distributions and interstellar reaction processes.

Justin L Neill1, Amanda L Steber, Matt T Muckle

  • 1Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, McCormick Road, P.O. Box 400319, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry. A
|May 20, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

New gas-phase ion-molecule pathways may explain the formation of trans-methyl formate in interstellar clouds. This discovery suggests trans-methyl formate could be a key tracer for gas-phase interstellar chemistry.

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Area of Science:

  • Astrochemistry
  • Interstellar Medium Chemistry
  • Computational Chemistry

Background:

  • Methyl formate's formation in interstellar clouds is not well understood.
  • Previous models favored ice surface chemistry, but new observations suggest gas-phase routes.
  • Understanding methyl formate formation is crucial for interstellar organic chemistry.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate novel gas-phase ion-molecule formation pathways for methyl formate.
  • To characterize the conformational outcome of proposed reactions using theoretical methods.
  • To assess the potential of trans-methyl formate as a probe of interstellar gas-phase chemistry.

Main Methods:

  • Electronic structure theory was used to model two new gas-phase ion-molecule reactions.
  • Conformational specificity was considered in the theoretical calculations.
  • Laboratory measurement of the trans-methyl formate rotational spectrum was performed.
  • Interstellar observations were used to detect trans-methyl formate.

Main Results:

  • Two proposed ion-molecule reactions, acid-catalyzed Fisher esterification and methyl cation transfer, efficiently produce protonated trans-methyl formate.
  • Neutralization of protonated methyl formate can yield trans-methyl formate with conformational memory.
  • The abundance of trans-methyl formate predicted by these pathways exceeds thermodynamic equilibrium predictions.
  • Trans-methyl formate has been detected in the interstellar medium.

Conclusions:

  • Gas-phase ion-molecule reactions provide a viable pathway for methyl formate formation in interstellar clouds.
  • The trans-conformational isomer of methyl formate may be an excellent tracer for gas-phase interstellar chemistry.
  • The detection of trans-methyl formate supports the proposed gas-phase formation mechanisms.