{
  "abstract": "Context. Formamide formation in the Universe has been the subject of debate due to its importance as a precursor to amino acids and RNA. Current studies focus on the gas-phase and icy grain formation routes. However, formamide formation on bare silicate surfaces or hydrated Mg-bearing molecular models remains largely unexplored in environments relevant to protoplanetary disks. Aims. This study presents a quantum-chemical investigation of formamide formation on an Mg center and a silicate surface. $Mg(OH)_2\\cdot H_2O$ and the bare (010) forsterite ($Mg_2SiO_4$) surface, used as an analog of a bare dust-grain surface, may promote formamide formation via $NH_2$ addition to $H_2CO$. Methods. I employed density functional theory (DFT) to study the addition of $NH_2$ to $H_2CO$ with an isolated $Mg(OH)_2\\cdot H_2O$ molecular model and on the forsterite (010) surface. First, I benchmarked various theoretical methodologies. I then examined the ability of $Mg(OH)_2\\cdot H_2O$ and the forsterite (010) surface to promote formamide formation. Finally, for the case with an entrance barrier, I computed unimolecular rate constants and half-lives to assess its kinetic behavior. Results. $Mg(OH)_2\\cdot H_2O$ promotes proton transfer within the $NH_2$-$CH_2O$ intermediate via the O-H group coordinated with Mg following $NH_2$ addition to $H_2CO$, whereas on the forsterite, a barrier-less addition pathway is found when $NH_2$ is initially physisorbed close to the formaldehyde center, followed by proton transfer leading to formamide formation. Conclusions. The Mg-bearing model systems considered here can promote rapid proton transfer following $NH_2$ addition to $H_2CO$. For the $Mg(OH)_2\\cdot H_2O$ model, the reaction step from the pre-reactive complex is predicted to occur on nanosecond timescales at temperatures approaching 300 K. The present work provides kinetic data for astrochemical models.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2611.07172",
  "author_total": 1,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Dario Campisi"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aeq0g5c94442r.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2611.07172",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "aeq0g5c94442r",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.07172",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "astro-ph.GA"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.chem-ph"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2611.07172",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-04",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aeq0g5c94442r.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-06T18:21:30Z",
      "native_id": "2611.07172",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.07172"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "astronomy",
      "origin": "arxiv:astro-ph.GA",
      "subfield": "galaxies"
    },
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.chem-ph",
      "subfield": "physical"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Formamide formation on forsterite and Mg(OH)$_2\\cdot$H$_2$O",
  "title_text": "Formamide formation on forsterite and Mg(OH)_2·H_2O",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T00:20:40Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aeq0g5c94442r",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}