Polyphosphate and Trimetaphosphate Formation under Potentially Prebiotic Conditions

Authors: R. Osterberg, L. E. Orgel

When ammonium dihydrogen phosphate is heated with urea to temperatures in the range 85–100°C, it polymerizes almost quantitatively to give polyphosphates containing, on the average, more than ten (PO3) residues. Similar experiments carried out at 72°C give polyphosphate in more than 60% yield. If a nucleoside (thymidine or 3′-deoxythymidine) is added to the reaction mixture, up to 23% of trimetaphosphate can be obtained at 100°C. The prebiotic significance of these reactions is discussed.

https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01660243