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Enantiomeric and Isotopic Analysis of sugar derivatives and recently discovered compounds in carbonaceous meteorites
PI: Cooper, George
Recently, several new organic compounds have been identified in the Murchison and Murray carbonaceous meteorites. The goals of this project are to determine their origins and synthetic relationships to other meteorite organic compounds. These objectives will be accomplished by molecular analysis and determination of their carbon and hydrogen stable isotope ratios. The compounds belong to three classes: Sugar derivatives, citric acid and homologs, and keto-carboxylic acids. Sugar acids and citric acid (citrate) are critical to energy production in all known life forms and were possibly necessary ingredients in the origin of life. Keto-carboxylic acids, e.g., pyruvic and levulinic acids, are critical intermediates to all life processes. In collaboration with Dr. GÖzen Ertem (see below) we will also continue the determination of whether true sugars are present and/or indigenous to meteorites. Measurement of the isotope ratios of the above compounds, combined with molecular and enantiomeric analyses, will help to determine their origins (i.e., extraterrestrial vs biogenic contaminants). If indigenous to meteorites these compounds would be added to the list of organic compounds that were present on the ancient Earth before, or at, the beginning of life.
