One-pot TiO2-Catalyzed Synthesis of Nucleic Bases and Acyclonucleosides from Formamide: Implications for the Origin of Life

A novel one-pot TiO2-catalyzed synthesis of nucleobases and acyclonucleosides from formamide is reported. Being formamide a compound that can be formed under prebiotic conditions these reactions have implications for the origin of life. While a number of purine derivatives have been found in non-TiO2-catalyzed reactions, important compounds that would not otherwise occur (namely: thymine, 5-hydroxymethyluracil and acyclonucleosides)are formed in acceptable yields. Moreover, TiO2 selectively affects the rates of degradation of nucleobases, single and embedded in polynucleotides.