2025MNRAS.539.3778Q

We investigate the photoinduced fragmentation of ethanolamine (EtA, C$_2$H$_7$NO), a prebiotically relevant amino alcohol detected in G+0.693-0.027, under ultraviolet (UV) and soft X-ray irradiation (12-310 eV) to explore its stability and chemical pathways in astrophysical environments. Experimental data were combined with Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations, which revealed dominant fragmentation pathways and identified nitrogen-containing species as the major ionic products. Notably, ${\rm CH_2NH_2}^+$, a highly stable cation formed via C-C bond cleavage and charge localization on the nitrogen centre, emerged as a key fragment. While ${\rm CH_2NH_2}^+$ has not yet been detected in the interstellar medium, our results indicate it as a promising candidate for future astronomical searches. Calculated photoionization and photodissociation cross-sections enabled the estimation of photodissociation rates and half-lives for EtA under the X-ray conditions of Sgr B2. EtA exhibited a half-life on the order of $10^7$ yr, comparable to other complex organic molecules like methyl formate (HCOOCH$_3$) and acetic acid (CH$_3$COOH) but shorter than simpler molecules such as formic acid (HCOOH). These findings reinforce EtA as a key astrochemical molecule with significant potential for astrobiological implications.