Terry Kee is an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Leeds. After earning his doctorate degree at the University of Durham (1989), he spent time as a SERC-NATO postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1989–1990) with the now Nobel Laureate Richard R. Schrock. His most recent research in the fields of astrobiology and abiogenesis aims to combine aspects of chemistry, physics, and philosophy to formulate a general theory of living. He served as president of the Astrobiology Society of Britain from 2010 to 2016.

We describe here experiments which demonstrate the selective phospho-transfer from a plausibly prebiotic condensed phosphorus (P) salt, pyrophosphite [H2P2O52−; PPi(III)], to the phosphate group of 5′-adenosine mono phosphate (5′-AMP). We show further that this P-transfer process is accelerated both by divalent metal ions (M2+) and by organic co-factors such as acetate (AcO−). In this specific case of P-transfer from PPi(III) to 5′-AMP, we show a synergistic enhancement of transfer in the combined presence of M2+ & AcO−. Isotopic labelling studies demonstrate that hydrolysis of the phosphonylated 5′-AMP, [P(III)P(V)-5′-AMP], proceeds via nuceophilic attack of water at the Pi(III) terminus.

H-Phosphinic acid and pyruvic acid, both plausible prebiotic chemicals, react selectively in water to build structural complexity including amide bond formation under remarkably mild conditions and oxidative coupling of P1 compounds to condensed pyrophosphorus compounds.

Dimeric aluminium hydroxide complexes containing the (R,R)-N,N′-bis(2′-hydroxy-3′-organobenzyl)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane ligand backbone effect catalysis of the phospho-aldol reaction under ambient, aerobic conditions at catalyst loadings of 0.5 mol% to afford enantioselectivities of ca. 65%.

Ab initio calculations, combined with experimental studies on the anaerobic hydrolysis of phosphaalkynes under thermal and photochemical conditions suggest a potential, exogenous source of reduced oxidation state phosphorus for the early Earth.

H-Phosphinic acid and pyruvic acid, both plausible prebiotic chemicals, react selectively in water to build structural complexity including amide bond formation under remarkably mild conditions and oxidative coupling of P1 compounds to condensed pyrophosphorus compounds.

Dimeric aluminium hydroxide complexes containing the (R,R)-N,N′-bis(2′-hydroxy-3′-organobenzyl)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane ligand backbone effect catalysis of the phospho-aldol reaction under ambient, aerobic conditions at catalyst loadings of 0.5 mol% to afford enantioselectivities of ca. 65%.