Millimeter-wave spectroscopy of hydantoin, a possible precursor of glycine

摘要

Context. Hydantoin (Imidazolidine-2, 4-dione, C3H4N2O2) is a five-membered heterocyclic compound that is known to arise from prebiotic molecules such as glycolic acid and urea, and to give the simplest amino acid, glycine, by hydrolysis under acidic condition. The gas chromatography combined with the mass spectrometry of carbonaceous chondrites lead to the detection of this molecule as well as several kinds of amino acids.