Biographical Memoirs Volume 81 (2002) / Chapter Skim
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Lewis Hastings Sarett
Lewis Hastings Sarett
Pages 278-293
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Lit ~ 5~
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It was a feat of remarkable complexity involving nearly 40 chemical steps from clesoxycholic acid en cl was achieved cluring WorIcl War II as a chemist in the Merck Research Laboratories. This synthesis en c!
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Sarett was caught up in that cutting-ecige research, which intensified when the Unitecl States entered WorIcl War II in D e c e mb e r ~ 9 4 ~ . S are it' s assign me n t with Wallis was to explore bromination reactions of steroidal ketones with the long-range objective of converting steroids like cholesterol into the female sex hormone estracliol.
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sicle chain to a 17-ketone, from which he fashioned a protected clihyciroxyacetone sicle chain in a multi-step process. Bromination and dehydrobromination afforded the unsaturated ketone functionality required in ring A
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With justifiable confidence in Merck chemistry, George Merck convinced U.S. government officials that Merck couIcl in reasonable time supply all that was neeclecI.
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These compounds unfortunately lacked oral activity and so were not developecI, but this work was a dramatic early example of drug latentiation that is still a viable way to maximize safety. Ultimately, aciciressing the shortcomings of steroids required a fundamental change in strategy.
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Sarett hacl a longstancling interest in natural products en c! one of his legacies was to strengthen Merck capabilities in fermentation product research.
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for Creative Research in Synthetic Organic Chemistry Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association Mecial for Creative Research in Synthetic Organic Chemistry New Jersey Patent Award, New Jersey Council for Research en c! Development Chemical Pioneer Awarcl of the American Institute of Chemists National Medal of Science Perkin Mecial Awarcl of the Society of Chemical Industry From 1976 to 1982 Sarett was Merck senior vice-presiclent for science en cl technology en cl clirectecl the strategic planning activities of all the company's divisions woric~wicle.
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Other honors incluclecI: 1977 1980 1981 1982 Honorary doctor of science, Bucknell University Election to the National Inventors Hall of Fame Industrial Research Institute Medal Gold Medal Award of the American Institute of Chemists Proctor Medal of the Philadelphia Drug Exchange
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Sarett retired from Merck in 1982 several months ahead of his sixty-fifth birthday en c! mandatory retirement as a corporate officer.
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Instead, he joiner! the advisory committee of a venture capital company, New Enterprise Associates, and became active in the West Coast biotech industry.
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Ciccone for providing biographical data from the Merck archives, including the transcript of an interview with Lew Sarett conducted by Leon Gortler on September 6, 1990. Review of this manuscript by Pamela Sarett Presol and information supplied by Renee Sarett and Charles W
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Stereospecific total synthesis of cortisone.
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Antiparasitic drugs.
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21:1093-1100. 1979 The impact of natural product research on drug discovery.
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