Abstract
Ethanethiol (C2H5SH) contains the −SH group, a functional group considered to be crucial for the prebiotic polymerization of amino acids. Ethanethiol is also one of about 250 molecules detected in the interstellar medium or circumstellar shells. We irradiated C2H5SH embedded in carbon monoxide (CO) as well as argon (Ar) ices. Using spectroscopy, we detected methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), ethylene (C2H4), acetylene (C2H2), carbon monosulfide (CS), carbonyl sulfide (OCS), dihydrogen sulfide (SH2), thioformaldehyde (H2CS), ethanethial (CH3CHS), thiirane, ethenethione (H2CCS), ethynethiol (HCCSH), thiirene, ethenedithione (SCCS), methylene radical (CH2), ethylthiyl radical (C2H5S), thioketenyl radical (HCCS), sulfanyl radical (SH), and sulfur atoms. Additionally, we observed OCS luminescence during annealing of the Ar matrix sample, which indicates the existence of a free sulfur atom. All products contain fewer atoms than the parent. CH3CHS was the main organic product in CO; OCS is the only product detected that formed due to a reaction with CO. Quantum chemical computations show that the S–H bond can easily be broken upon electronic excitation. Although more experimental and theoretical data are needed, we suggest that C2H5SH can exist only in interstellar clouds shielded from UV radiation like G+0.693-0.027 but not in Orion KL.
Highlights
Sulfur is one of the ten most common elements in space,[1] and a number of small, sulfur bearing organic species have already been detected there
Methanethiol, CH3SH, is a more complex organic molecule that has been detected in the solar-type protostar IRAS 16293-2422,18 Sgr B2,19 hot core G327.3-0620, or G+0.693-0.027.9 Astronomical searches have been made for ethanethiol, CH3CH2SH,[9,19,21] and for C5S,22,23,3 resulting in their recent detection in G+0.693−0.027 and TMC-1, respectively
Our studies begin with the examination of ethanethiol, C2H5SH, which we subject to photolysis
Summary
Sulfur is one of the ten most common elements in space,[1] and a number of small, sulfur bearing organic species have already been detected there These include some of the following: members of the carbon sulfide family, CnS, including C2S, C3S, and C4S;2,3 members of the protonated carbon sulfide family, HCnS, including HCS+4 and HC3S+;5 members of the thiocyanate family, including NCS,[3] HSCN,[6] and HNCS;[7] thioformyl, HCS, and isothioformyl, HSC, radicals;[8] thioformic acid, HC(O)SH;[9] thioaldehydes, including HC(S)CN, iHtsCi(soSt)oCpColHgu,1e0s1a2n−d15th(isoefeorrmefsal1d6ehayndde,1H7 2fCorS,a11maonrde several of complete list).
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