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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
Published on: August 2, 2012
Geometry of the dry-state oligomerization of 2',3'-cyclic phosphates
Abstract:
Evaporation of a solution of thymidine plus either the exo or the endo diastereomer of uridine cyclic 2',3'-O, O-phosphorothioate (U greater than p(S) in 1,2-diaminoethane hydrochloride buffer gave the 2',5' and 3',5' isomers of (P-thio) uridylylthymidine (Up(S)dT) in a ratio of 1:2 with a combined yield of about 20%. These isomers were re-converted to U greater than p(S) and dT by a reaction that is known to proceed by an in-line mechanism. Both the 2',5' and 3',5' isomers gave as product the same diasteromer of U greater than p(S) that had been used originally in their formation. These dry-state 'prebiotic' reactions (Verlander, Lohrmann, and Orgel 1973) are thus shown to be stereospecific, and both the 2',5' and 3',5' internucleotide bonds are formed by an in-line mechanism.
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