Methyl Formate Synthesis Pathways at Various Star Formation Stages

Abstract

Here we present the results of a numerical study of the main reactions that determine the methyl formate abundance under conditions of a low-mass protostellar object with both normal and enhanced cosmic-ray ionization rates. The estimations of the contribution that dust chemistry has on the gas-phase methyl formate abundance are made. The impact of the transition from the prestellar to protostellar phases on the methyl-formate chemistry is studied as well.