STUDIES ON A POTENTIALLY PREBIOTIC SYNTHESIS OF RNA

Current thinking supports an early phase of evolution in which informa tion transfer and catalysis were mediated by evolving RNA. A novel pot entially prebiotic synthesis of RNA is proposed involving polymerisati on through aldol condensation followed by a retro-Amadori rearrangemen t and ring closure via a base-paired mesomeric heterocyclic betaine in termediate. The proposed monomer 1 is an achiral mixed phosphodiester and herein we report synthetic routes to 1 containing each of the four RNA bases. The solution phase behaviour of 1 containing adenine and u racil has been investigated and preliminary results of polymerisation experiments are also presented. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.