Regio- and diastereo-selectivity of montmorillonite-catalyzed oligomerization of racemic adenosine 5'-phosphorimidazolide.

Clay is a possible candidate for an effective catalyst in prebiotic chemical evolution of biomolecules. Montmorillonite was reported to effectively catalyze oligomerization of racemic adenosine 5'-phosphorimidazolide (DL-ImpA). In the oligomerization reaction, considerable amounts of cyclic dimers as well as linear dimers were produced in the oligomerization reactions. To assess the regio- and diastereo-selectivities of the oligomerization reaction, the dimer products including cyclic dimers were completely identified by means of enzymatic degradation reactions of the products.