Biologically relevant compounds, such as simple sugars, have been detected in molecular clouds in space. The detection of these molecules has caused theories to be developed on how these materials were formed and their subsequent delivery to planetary surfaces. One compound that has been detected is the two-carbon sugar glycoaldehyde.The four-carbon sugar erythrose can be formed from glycolaldehyde through a dimerization reaction. Different types of smectite clay, modeling early Earth volcanic ash, were investigated as catalysts. GC/MS analysis was used to monitor the experiment. The reaction was found to be most efficient when the solution was heated. The resulting data was then compared to samples of glycoaldehyde that were subjected to a high velocity impact by NASA Johnson Space Center flat plate accelerator, mimicking that of an interstellar object's delivery to Earth.

Formation of erythrose from glycoaldehyde using Bentonite clay as a catalyst

245th National Meeting (2013)

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