A One‐Step Synthesis of Squalene from Farnesol under Prebiotic Conditions

Abstract

Together, hydrogen sulfide and iron(III) sulfide mediate the reductive coupling of farnesol giving squalene (1), albeit in low yield. This finding is interesting, because the reducing system H2S/FeS plays a central role in the theory of the “pyrite-driven” prebiotic world, and squalene is present in all organisms.