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First detection in space of the high-energy isomer of cyanomethanimine: H2CNCN by Andrés, David San; Rivilla, Víctor M.; Colzi, Laura; Jiménez-Serra, Izaskun; Martín-Pintado, Jesús; Megías, Andrés; López-Gallifa, Álvaro; Martínez-Henares, Antonio; Massalkhi, Sarah; Zeng, Shaoshan; Sanz-Novo, Miguel; Tercero, Belén; de Vicente, Pablo; Martín, Sergio; Requena-Torres, Miguel A.; Molpeceres, Germán; de la Concepción, Juan García is a scholarly article available to read on EtoBox.

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We report the first detection in the interstellar medium of $N$-cyanomethanimine (H$_2$CNCN), the stable dimer of HCN of highest energy, and the most complex organic molecule identified in space containing the prebiotically relevant NCN backbone. We have identified a plethora of $a$-type rotational transitions with 3 $\leq J_\text{up} \leq$ 11 and $K_\text{a} \leq$ 2 that belong to this species towards the Galactic Center G+0.693-0.027 molecular cloud, the only interstellar source showing the three cyanomethanimine isomers (including the $Z$- and $E$- isomers of $C$-cyanomethanimine, HNCHCN). We have derived a total column density for H$_2$CNCN of (2.9$\, \pm \,$0.1)$\times$10$^{12}$ cm$^{-2}$, which translates into a total molecular abundance with respect to H$_2$ of (2.1$\, \pm \,$0.3)$\times$10$^{-11}$. We have also revisited the previous detection of $E$- and $Z$-HNCHCN, and found a total $C/N$-cyanomethanimine abundance ratio of 31.8$\, \pm \,$1.8 and a $Z/E$-HNCHCN ratio of 4.5$\, \pm \,$0.2. While the latter can be explained on the basis of thermodynamic equilibrium, chemical kinetics are more likely responsible for the observed $C/N$-cyanomethanimine abundance ratio, where

Author

Andrés, David San; Rivilla, Víctor M.; Colzi, Laura; Jiménez-Serra, Izaskun; Martín-Pintado, Jesús; Megías, Andrés; López-Gallifa, Álvaro; Martínez-Henares, Antonio; Massalkhi, Sarah; Zeng, Shaoshan; Sanz-Novo, Miguel; Tercero, Belén; de Vicente, Pablo; Martín, Sergio; Requena-Torres, Miguel A.; Molpeceres, Germán; de la Concepción, Juan García

Published

2024

Language

EN