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Cited by 274Catalysts for Methane ReformingThermochemical Biomass Conversion ProcessesSubcritical and Supercritical Water Processes

Lipid formation by aqueous Fischer-Tropsch-type synthesis over a temperature range of 100 to 400 °C

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Rushdi, Ahmed I., Simoneit, Bernd R. T.·2001·Origins of life and evolution of the biosphere
DOI 10.1023/a:1006702503954
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Abstract

The formation of lipid compounds during an aqueous Fischer-Tropsch-type reaction was studied with solutions of oxalic acid as the carbon and hydrogen source. The reactions were conducted in stainless steel vessels by heating the oxalic acid solution at discrete temperatures from 100 to 400 degrees C, at intervals of 50 degrees C for two days each. The maximum lipid yield, especially for oxygenated compounds, is in the window of 150-250 degrees C. At a temperature of 100 degrees C only a trace amount of lipids was detected. At temperatures above 150 degrees C the lipid components ranged from C12 to > C33 and included n-alkanols, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkyl formates, n-alkanals, n-alkanones, n-alkanes, and n-alkenes, all with essentially no carbon number preference. The n-alkanes increased in concentration over the oxygenated compounds at temperatures of 200 degrees C and above, with a slight reduction in their carbon number ranges due to cracking. It was also noted that the n-alkanoic acids increased while n-alkanols decreased with increasing temperature above 200 degrees C. At temperatures above 300 degrees C synthesis competes with cracking and reforming reactions. At 400 degrees C significant cracking was observed and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and their alkylated homologs were detected. The results of this work suggest that the formation of lipid compounds by aqueous FTT reactions proceeds by insertion of a CO group at the terminal end of a carboxylic acid functionality to form n-oxoalkanoic acids, followed by reduction to n-alkanoic acids, to n-alkanals, then to n-alkanols. The n-alkenes are intermediate homologs for n-alkan-2-ones and n-alkanes. This proposed mechanism for aqueous FTT synthesis differs from the surface-catalyzed stepwise FT process (i.e., gaseous) of polymerization of methylene reported in the literature.

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Crossref · 10.1023/a:1006702503954

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  • When the temperature exceeded 150 °C, oxalic acid decomposed into carbon monoxide and water which then polymerized into hydrocarbon derivatives ranging from 12 to 33 carbons in length.

    “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 [60]

    The Experimental Methods say that above 150 °C oxalic acid produces a mixture of CO₂, CO, H₂ and water—not just CO and water. The Abstract reports lipid products from C12 to beyond C33 at those temperatures, and the discussion describes chain buildup from oxalic-acid-derived one-carbon species. The claim captures the general process but omits products of decomposition and treats C33 as the upper limit. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • The best studied pathways involve Fischer-Tropsch-type chemistry, in which carbon monoxide and hydrogen react under high temperature and pressure on the surface of transition metal minerals to generate terminally oxygenated, saturated linear chains.

    “The best studied pathways involve Fischer-Tropsch-type chemistry, in which carbon monoxide and hydrogen react under high temperature and pressure on the surface of transition metal minerals to generate terminally oxygenated, saturated linear chains (Rushdi and Simoneit 2001).”

    From Protocells and RNA Self-Replication (2018) · cites this paper as Rushdi and Simoneit 2001

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  • McCollom et al. and Rushdi and Simoneit 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.

    “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 [60]

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1 of the 45 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [16]16. Holm, N. G. (ed.): 1992, Marine Hydrothermal Systems and the Origin of Life, Origins of Life Evol. Biosphere 22, 1-242.
  2. [28]28. Palmer, D. A., Weselowski, D. J. and Bell, J. L. S.: 1993, EMF Measurements of Oxalic and Formic Acid Decomposition Kinetics and Interaction of Acetate with Aluminum (III) to High Temperatures, EOS 74(16), 327-328.

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Authors
Rushdi, A. I., & Simoneit, B. R. T.
Affiliations
Oregon State University (US)
ORCID
Rushdi, Ahmed I.
Venue
Origins of life and evolution of the biosphere
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2001-02
Volume
31
Issue
1-2
Pages
103-118
ISSN
  • 0169-6149 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-0875
DOI
10.1023/a:1006702503954
OpenAlex
W422539398
Cited by
274
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 14
FWCI
9.58
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Catalysis › Catalysts for Methane Reforming
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Subcritical and Supercritical Water Processes
Keywords
oxalic acid, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols, n-alkanes, reaction temperature dependence, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, prebiotic chemistry, origin of life
MeSH terms
Origin of Life, Alkanes, Hot Temperature, Lipids, Water, Evolution, Chemical, Oxalic Acid

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