title: From Simplicity to Complexity: HCN/HCHO as a Model System for Parent Body Processes

authors: Henderson James Cleaves (ELSI/IAS)
Michael Paul Callahan (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

abstract: H2O, NH3, HCN and HCHO were likely abundant early solar system volatiles, as evidenced by their spectroscopic and spectrometric detection in cometary comae. These species are also reasonable precursors for some of the compounds observed in carbonaceous meteorites. We have studied the aqueous phase chemistry of simple aqueous NH4CN/HCHO systems across a wide range of temperatures, concentrations and ratios likely relevant to carbonaceous meteorite parent bodies. The products are remarkably complex, in many cases exceeding 1500 easily discernible masses, and include a diversity of organic species in the 50-800 AMU mass range. Using FT-IR-MS, LC-MS and high resolution Orbitrap LC-MS we have determined the nature of many of the products, and the effects of varying the reaction conditions on the product complexity and distribution.