First detection of the pre-biotic molecule glycolonitrile (HOCH2CN) in the interstellar medium

Abstract

Theories of a pre-RNA world suggest that glycolonitrile (HOCH${}_2$CN) is a key species in the process of ribonucleotide assembly, which is considered as a molecular precursor of nucleic acids. In this Letter, we report the first detection of this pre-biotic molecule in the interstellar medium (ISM) by using ALMA data obtained at frequencies between 86.5GHz and 266.5GHz toward the Solar-type protostar IRAS16293-2422 B. A total of 15 unblended transitions of HOCH${}_2$CN were identified. Our analysis indicates the presence of a cold (T${}_{\mathrm{ex}}$=24$\pm$8K) and a warm (T${}_{\mathrm{ex}}$=158$\pm$38K) component meaning that this molecule is present in both the inner hot corino and the outer cold envelope of IRAS16293 B. The relative abundance with respect to H${}_2$ is (6.5$\pm$0.6)$\times$10${}^{-11}$ and $\ge$(6$\pm$2)$\times$10${}^{-10}$ for the warm and cold components respectively. Our chemical modelling seems to underproduce the observed abundance for both the warm and cold component under various values of the cosmic-ray ionisation rate ($\zeta$). Key gas phase routes for the formation of this molecule might be missing in our chemical network.

5 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, accepted in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters

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