Polymer

Definition

Polymers of prebiotic significance are those to be found on the verge of the evolutionary onset of various catalytic cycles of chemical reaction. One typical example is the formose reaction of polymerizing formaldehyde into glycolaldehyde. When one glycolaldehyde molecule enters the cycle in the presence of formaldehyde, two glycolaldehyde molecules come out of the cycle at the end. Significant to the operation of the reaction cycle is that the synthesis of glycolaldehyde is not due to the direct dimerization of formaldehyde. The initiation of the cycle presumes the prior presence of trace amounts of glycolaldehyde. This convoluted nature of the cycle requiring the prior presence of the intended products symbolizes a difficulty facing the emergence of polymers of prebiotic significance.

Overview

One specific case demonstrating a simple cyclic, though not yet autocatalytic, polymerization of small organic molecules is found in the acceleration of polymerizing hydrogen cyanide...