The DOI matches its Crossref record; 44 of the 45 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Lipid Formation by Aqueous Fischer-Tropsch-Type Synthesis over a Temperature Range of 100 to 400 °C
Open accessAbstract
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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“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]
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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 (Rushdi and Simoneit 2001).”
From Protocells and RNA Self-Replication (2018) · cites this paper as Rushdi and Simoneit 2001
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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 [60]
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Citations
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Metadata
- 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
- Published
- 2001-02
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 1-2
- Pages
- 103-118
- ISSN
- 0169-6149 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-0875
- 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
- bronze
- doi.org
- 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 › Energy › Fuel Technology › Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes
- Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Process Chemistry and Technology › 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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