Detection of Methoxymethanol As a Photochemistry Product Of
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Detection of Methoxymethanol as a Photochemistry Product of Condensed Methanol Hope Schneider,1 Anna Caldwell-Overdier,1 Sophie Coppieters ‘t Wallant,1 Lan Dau, 1 Jean Huang,1 Ifunanya Nwolah,1 Muhammad Kasule,2 Christina Buffo,1 Ella Mullikin,1 Lily Widdup,1 Aury Hay,1 Si Tong Bao,1 Jeniffer Perea,1 Mayla Thompson,1 Rhoda Tano-Menka, 1 Mileva Van Tuyl,1 Amy Wang,1 Sophia Bussey,1 Nina Sachdev,1 Christine Zhang,1 Michael C. Boyer,2 and Christopher R. Arumainayagam1* 1 Department of Chemistry, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481 2 Department of Physics, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610 Abstract We report the identification of methoxymethanol (CH3OCH2OH) as a photochemistry product of condensed methanol (CH3OH) based on temperature-programmed desorption studies conducted following photon irradiation at energies below the ionization threshold (9.8 eV) of condensed methanol. The first detection of methoxymethanol in the interstellar medium was reported in 2017 based on data from Bands 6 and 7 from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The cosmic synthesis of “complex” organic molecules such as methyl formate (HCOOCH3), dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), acetic acid (CH3COOH), ethylene glycol (HOCH2CH2OH), and glycolaldehyde (HOCH2CHO) has been attributed to UV photolysis of condensed methanol found in interstellar ices. Experiments conducted in 1995 demonstrated that electron-induced radiolysis of methanol cosmic ice analogues yields methoxymethanol. In three recent publications (2016, 2017, and 2018), methoxymethanol was considered as a potential tracer for reactions induced by secondary electrons resulting from the interaction of cosmic rays with interstellar ices. However, the results presented in this study suggest that methoxymethanol can be formed from both radiation chemistry and photochemistry of condensed methanol. Keywords: astrochemistry, radiation mechanisms: non-thermal, ISM: molecules, cosmic rays. 1.0 Introduction methanol ices (Gerakines et al. 1996, Oberg et Methoxymethanol (CH3OCH2OH) was al. 2009, Allamandola 1988, Krim et al. 2009, first detected in the interstellar medium in 2017 Mrad et al. 2016). A tentative identification of using the Atacama Large methoxymethanol was claimed following Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) data irradiation of methanol cosmic ice analogs with in Bands 6 and 7 toward NGC 6334I, a massive vacuum UV photons capable of initiating both protostar (McGuire et al. 2017). This finding is photochemistry and radiation chemistry significant because the interstellar (Paardekooper et al. 2016). In work reported methoxymethanol abundance can help inform herein, we provide persuasive evidence that the relative yields of •CH2OH and CH3O• photochemistry, in the absence of radiation radicals produced from methanol, which is chemistry, of condensed methanol yields thought to be an essential precursor to many methoxymethanol. Therefore, contrary to prebiotic molecules (e.g., glycolaldehyde recent claims (McGuire et al. 2017, Motiyenko (HOCH2CHO)) formed in interstellar ices et al. 2018) based on previous claims (Boyer et (McGuire et al. 2017). Previous studies have al. 2016, Sullivan et al. 2016), identified methoxymethanol as an electron- methoxymethanol cannot be used as a tracer for induced radiolysis product of condensed electron-induced reactions initiated by cosmic methanol (Harris et al. 1995, Maity et al. 2015, rays in interstellar ices. Sullivan et al. 2016). Several previous studies While some studies have concluded did not report the identification of that most interstellar synthesis reactions take methoxymethanol as a photolysis product of place in the gas phase (Charnley 1992), more *Corresponding Author: Telephone: 781-283-3326; FAX: 781-283-3642; Email: [email protected] 1 widely accepted research suggests that NH3+CO2→NH2COOH) involving an condensed-phase reactions must be included to activation barrier. match the observed abundances of interstellar Because methanol abundances relative prebiotic molecules (Tielens & Hagen 1982, to water can be as high as 30% in interstellar Garrod 2008). For some complex molecules ices (Dartois et al. 1999), the photolysis such as formamide (HCONH2), a gas-phase products of methanol and their relative formation pathway has been suggested but is abundances are of interest to determine controversial (Skouteris et al. 2017, Song & formation processes for more complex Kastner 2016). While non-energetic processing molecules. Reactions (1) and (2) shown below of ices, involving hydrogen atom accretion are two possible pathways for the reactions, may lead to the synthesis of complex electron/photon-induced dissociation of molecules such as glycerol methanol. (HOCH2CH(OH)CH2OH), which can be formed through the hydrogenation of CO CH32 OH •CH OH •H (1) (Fedoseev et al. 2017), energetic processing of CH33 OH CH O• •H (2) interstellar ices in dark, dense molecular clouds is thought to be the primary mechanism for the Methoxymethanol (CH3OCH2OH) has been cosmic synthesis of prebiotic molecules. With hypothesized to form via radical-radical temperatures as low as 10 K, most gaseous reactions involving the hydroxymethyl radical molecules condense to form ~100 monolayer- (•CH2OH) and the methoxy radical (CH3O•) ( thick ices on micron-size dust grains. A likely Harris et al. 1995, Laas et al. 2011, Boamah route to prebiotic molecules involves energetic 2014): processing (photochemistry or radiation CH O• •CH OH CH OCH OH (3) chemistry) of these cosmic ices. Although the 32 32 external UV radiation field is unable to Due to the low abundances of these radicals in penetrate to the interior of dense molecular the gas phase restricting detection through clouds (Prasad 1983), significant internal UV rotational spectroscopy, the detection of flux is observed in these dense clouds due to methoxymethanol and its quantification can electronic relaxation of H2 following excitation help determine the relative abundances of these by secondary electrons produced by cosmic radicals (McGuire et al. 2017). Chemical rays (Gredel et al. 1989, Prasad 1983). In modeling of reaction 3 taking place in addition to being initiated by internal UV light, interstellar dust grains warming from 8–400 K reactions may also be triggered by secondary over a period of 2.85 × 105 years gave a similar electrons produced by the interation of cosmic- CH3OCH2OH:CH3OH ratio as the observed rays with extraterrestrial ices. These non- ratio of 1:34 (McGuire et al. 2017). thermal, low-energy (< 20 eV) electrons are Several studies have used microwave considered to be the primary driving force in discharge hydrogen flow lamps (MDHL) the radiolysis of cosmic ices (Boyer et al. (dominated by the Lyman-α peak at 10.2 eV 2016). Photochemistry/radiation chemistry of and the Lyman band system of molecular ice mantles yields heavy radicals such as hydrogen with peaks at 7.7 and 7.9 eV) to •CH2OH and CH3O• that are thought to be mimic condensed-phase methanol UV immobile at 10 K because they cannot chemistry in the interstellar medium (Gerakines overcome the activation barrier for diffusion et al. 1996, Oberg et al. 2009, Allamandola et (Laas et al. 2011). During the warming process al.1988, Paardekooper et al. 2016). In another associated with the transition from a high/low UV study, the photon source used was a mass prestellar core to a hot core/corino, krypton lamp whose emission spectrum is complex organic molecules are synthesized composed of two intense peaks at 10.6 eV and through either (1) diffusion above ~30 K of 10.0 eV and a broad continuum in the 7.3–9.5 non-thermally formed radicals resulting in eV range (Krim et al. 2009). Together, one or barrierless radical-radical reactions or (2) more of the above mentioned studies involving thermal reactions (e.g., UV and VUV photon irradiation of condensed 2 methanol have demonstrated the formation of Experiments were performed in a acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), glycolaldehyde stainless steel ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) −9 (HOCH2CHO), methyl formate (HCOOCH3), chamber with a base pressure of 2 × 10 Torr, formic acid (HCOOH), acetic acid previously described in detail (Harris et al. (CH3COOH), ethylene glycol ((CH2OH)2), 1995). A Ta(110) crystal mounted on a rotary dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), ethanol manipulator was used as the substrate for (CH3CH2OH), formaldehyde (H2CO), carbon experiments. The crystal was cleaned prior to monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), and carbon each experiment by electron bombardment dioxide (CO2). To the best of our knowledge, heating to ~2200 K for ~30 seconds. only one study reported the tentative Liquid nitrogen was used to cool the identification of methoxymethanol as a product crystal to approximately 90 K before dosing of methanol ices subjected to VUV methanol on the crystal. Samples were obtained photoprocessing which likely involves both from Sigma-Aldrich (methanol, HPLC grade photochemistry and radiation chemistry 99.9%). Liquid samples were transferred to (Paardekooper et al. 2016). Schlenk tubes and degassed by three freeze- Photochemical reactions, by definition, pump-thaw cycles. are initiated by molecules in excited electronic The methanol films were irradiated states (Wardle 2009). Molecules typically using a laser-driven low-energy photon source reach excited states through absorption of described previously (Mullikin et al. 2018). visible, near-UV, and far-UV photons (Wardle The source has an upper limit of 7.4 eV (Kuo et 2009). Such photons have energies between 1.8 al. 2007) and the lower limit of