MINERAL INDUCED PHOSPHORYLATION OF GLYCOLATE ION - A METAPHOR IN CHEMICAL EVOLUTION

Bilateral surface-active minerals with excess positive charge concentr ate glycolate and trimetaphosphate ion from 10(-3) m aqueous solution to half-saturation of the internal surface sites, and induce phosphory lation of glycolate ion in the mineral with trimetaphosphate, sorbed f rom 10(-2) m solution. By utilizing reactants from dilute solution at near neutral pH, and eliminating the need for participating organic ni trogen compounds, the reaction comprises several elements considered n ecessary for geochemical realism in models for molecular evolution.