Biomaterial Database

Chemical evolution from hydrogen cyanide: photochemical decarboxylation of orotic acid and orotate derivatives. 1978

J P Ferris, and P C Joshi

Irradiation of solutions at pH 7 to pH 8.5 of orotic acid, orotidine, and orotidine 5'-phosphate with light at 254 nanometers yields the corresponding uracil derivative via the singlet excited state. This reaction completes a plausible prebiotic synthesis of uracil and its derivatives starting from HCN as the only carbon source.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009963	Orotic Acid	An intermediate product in PYRIMIDINE synthesis which plays a role in chemical conversions between DIHYDROFOLATE and TETRAHYDROFOLATE.	Potassium Orotate,Sodium Orotate,Zinc Orotate,Acid, Orotic,Orotate, Potassium,Orotate, Sodium,Orotate, Zinc
D010777	Photochemistry	A branch of physical chemistry which studies chemical reactions, isomerization and physical behavior that may occur under the influence of visible and/or ultraviolet light.	Photochemistries
D003653	Decarboxylation	The removal of a carboxyl group, usually in the form of carbon dioxide, from a chemical compound.	Decarboxylations
D006856	Hydrogen Cyanide	Hydrogen cyanide (HCN); A toxic liquid or colorless gas. It is found in the smoke of various tobacco products and released by combustion of nitrogen-containing organic materials.	Hydrocyanic Acid,Zyklon B,Acid, Hydrocyanic,Cyanide, Hydrogen
D012265	Ribonucleotides	Nucleotides in which the purine or pyrimidine base is combined with ribose. (Dorland, 28th ed)	Ribonucleoside Phosphates,Ribonucleotide,Phosphates, Ribonucleoside
D014498	Uracil	One of four nucleotide bases in the nucleic acid RNA.
D014529	Uridine	A ribonucleoside in which RIBOSE is linked to URACIL.	Allo-Uridine,Allouridine,Allo Uridine
D014542	Uridine Monophosphate	5'-Uridylic acid. A uracil nucleotide containing one phosphate group esterified to the sugar moiety in the 2', 3' or 5' position.	UMP,Uridylic Acid,Uridine 5'-Monophosphate,Uridylic Acids,5'-Monophosphate, Uridine,Acid, Uridylic,Acids, Uridylic,Monophosphate, Uridine,Uridine 5' Monophosphate