An elec. discharge experiments with gaseous mixture of methane, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and water was carried out and the products were analyzed by mass spectrometry and gas chromatog. Methionine was synthesized by elec. discharge in the presence of H2S and 14 amino acids were characterized, of which 13 occur in proteins. From the results it is suggested that hydrogen sulfide plays an important role in the synthesis of more complicated amino acids during chem. evolution both on primitive earth and in interstellar space.

Key words: AMINO ACID, WATER, GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY, NITROGEN, AMMONIA, LYSINE, HYDROGEN SULFIDE, METHANE, ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTION, SPARK DISCHARGE