New potential candidates for astronomical searches discovered in the electrical discharge of the PAH naphthalene and acetonitrile

Ionic fragmentation products of benzonitrile as important intermediates in the growth of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

“…Even within dense clouds, where UV photons cannot penetrate, cosmic rays provide energy and can initiate ion-molecule reactions, 32 enhance chemical reactions 33 and trigger nonequilibrium chemistry in interstellar ices. 34 Examples of experimental approaches that studied the linked formation and destruction chemistry involve for example electrical discharge [35][36][37][38][39] and pyrolysis sources (microreactors), [40][41][42][43] where fragmentation and recombination processes dominate the chemistry. However, detailed insight into which molecular structures play a dominant role is difficult to gain as one may predominantly see the thermodynamically stable products upon probing.…”

“…Examples of experimental approaches that studied the linked formation and destruction chemistry involve for example electrical discharge 35–39 and pyrolysis sources (microreactors), 40–43 where fragmentation and recombination processes dominate the chemistry. However, detailed insight into which molecular structures play a dominant role is difficult to gain as one may predominantly see the thermodynamically stable products upon probing.…”