The DOI matches its Crossref record; 54 of the 54 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Lipid synthesis under hydrothermal conditions by Fischer-Tropsch-type reactions
Abstract
Ever since their discovery in the late 1970's, mid-ocean-ridge hydrothermal systems have received a great deal of attention as a possible site for the origin of life on Earth (and environments analogous to mid-ocean-ridge hydrothermal systems are postulated to have been sites where life could have originated or Mars and elsewhere as well). Because no modern-day terrestrial hydrothermal systems are free from the influence of organic compounds derived from biologic processes, laboratory experiments provide the best opportunity for confirmation of the potential for organic synthesis in hydrothermal systems. Here we report on the formation of lipid compounds during Fischer-Tropsch-type synthesis from aqueous solutions of formic acid or oxalic acid. Optimum synthesis occurs in stainless steel vessels by heating at 175 degrees C for 2-3 days and produces lipid compounds ranging from C2 to > C35 which consist of n-alkanols, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkenes, n-alkanes and alkanones. The precursor carbon sources used are either formic acid or oxalic acid, which disproportionate to H2, CO2 and probably CO. Both carbon sources yield the same lipid classes with essentially the same ranges of compounds. The synthesis reactions were confirmed by using 13C labeled precursor acids.
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“It seems unlikely that such an iron-catalyzed reaction could occur in the prebiotic conditions, but McCollom et al. [59] and Rushdi and Simoneit [60] have shown that a series of carboxylic acids and alcohols are synthesized when formic or oxalic acid solutions are heated under pressure and temperature regimes characteristic of hydrothermal conditions associated with volcanism.”
From The Role of Lipid Membranes in Life’s Origin (2017) · cites this paper as [59]
In the citing paper
“Remarkably, when the temperature exceeded 150 °C the oxalic acid decomposed into carbon monoxide and water which then polymerized into hydrocarbon derivatives ranging from 12 to 33 carbons in length.”
From The Role of Lipid Membranes in Life’s Origin (2017) · cites this paper as [59]
In the citing paper
“Amphiphiles are also synthesized by photochemical reactions (Dworkin et al., 2001) and are products of Fischer- Tropsch type reactions that may occur in volcanic geochemistry (McCollom et al., 1999; Rushdi and Simoneit, 2006).”
From The Hot Spring Hypothesis for an Origin of Life (2020) · cites this paper as McCollom et al., 1999
In the citing paper
“The availability of amphiphiles with sufficiently long hydrophobic tails is amply substantiated [168–171] as is that of hydrophobic and amphiphilic peptides [44,172].”
From Systems protobiology: origin of life in lipid catalytic networks (2018) · cites this paper as [169]
In the citing paper
“There is, in fact, good experimental evidence that long-chain fatty acids can be synthesized under plausible prebiotic conditions”
From Natural pH Gradients in Hydrothermal Alkali Vents Were Unlikely to Have Played a Role in the Origin of Life (2016) · cites this paper as McCollom et al. 1999
In the citing paper
“Long-chain carboxylic acids can be synthesized in Fisher-Tropsch-type syntheses, producing aliphatic chains and carbonyl groups in the inorganic gas condensations catalyzed on the mineral beds (McCollom et al., 1999).”
From The Astrobiology Primer v2.0 (2016) · cites this paper as McCollom et al., 1999
In the citing paper
“Furthermore, simple lipids, such as fatty acids, are found in prebiotic syntheses as well as in meteorite samples [163–168].”
From The RNA world as a model system to study the origin of life (2015) · cites this paper as [167]
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Metadata
- Authors
- McCollom, T. M., Ritter, G., & Simoneit, B. R. T.
- Affiliations
- Oregon State University (US)
- ORCID
- McCollom, Thomas M.
- Venue
- Origins of life and evolution of the biosphere
- Published
- 1999-03
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 153-166
- ISSN
- 0169-6149 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-0875
- OpenAlex
- W1631795182
- Cited by
- 475
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 7.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Catalysis › Catalysts for Methane Reforming
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Keywords
- lipogenesis, hydrothermal systems, origin of life, formic acid, oxalic acid, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols, n-alkanes, n-alkenes, alkanones, 13C labeling, stainless steel vessel
- MeSH terms
- Origin of Life, Formates, Hot Temperature, Lipids, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Oceans and Seas, Oxalic Acid
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