Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Alkene Transformations in Oceanic Hydrothermal Fluids: A Mechanistic Study of Styrene

Abstract Natural organic matter plays an important role in oceanic hydrothermal systems through a combination of geological and chemical processes. However, identifying the pathways compounds is still quite limited, preventing us from understanding how transformed systems. In this study, we focus on reaction alkenes, which represent key functional group intermediate linking most abundant hydrocarbons seafloor environments. Three major are observed for alkenes under mild conditions, including hydration, oxidation, dimerization. The pathway distributions can be affected by presence dissolved metal salts; hydration driven ions via change solution pH, while alkene dimerization controlled pH type cations complexes. Overall, study identifies highlights roles salts controlling transformations.