2002ApJS..140..457K

We report the infrared spectrum of the reaction product of isocyanic acid (HNCO) and water (H₂O) at 20 K. The reaction is catalyzed by hydrochloric acid (HCl) even at low temperatures. The resulting product is identified to be amino formate (HCO₂NH₂). This identification has been achieved by comparison of the IR spectrum of the product with the corresponding spectra of formic acid (HCO₂H), methyl formate (HCO₂CH₃), and formamide (HCONH₂), all of which have the HCO group. The results of ab initio quantum mechanical calculations of the harmonic frequencies and the infrared intensities of the most stable structure containing NH₂OCHO groups also agree with the laboratory data. Such complex organics may be produced on the cold interstellar grains and on planetary objects by radiation and/or catalytically induced reactions involving simple C-, H-, N-, and O-containing species.