Luis Ernesto Miramontes

Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cárdenas (Tepic, Nayarit; March 16, 1925 - Mexico City; September 13, 2004) was a Mexican chemical engineer, author of the synthesis of the first molecule with action oral anovulatory. He studied high school at the National Preparatory School of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at UNAM and was a co-founding researcher of the Chemistry Institute of that same university, conducting research in the area of organic chemistry. He was a professor at the Faculty of Chemistry of the UNAM, director and professor of the School of Chemistry of the Universidad Iberoamericana and deputy director of basic research at the Mexican Petroleum Institute (IMP).^{[citation required]}

He was a member of various scientific societies, including the American Chemical Society (emeritus), the Mexican Institute of Chemical Engineers, the National College of Chemical and Chemical Engineers, the Chemical Society of Mexico, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the New York Academy of Sciences.^{[citation required]}

Invention of the contraceptive pill

The scientific work of Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cárdenas is very extensive, covering numerous written publications and nearly 40 national and international patents in different areas, such as organic chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, petrochemistry and the chemistry of atmospheric pollutants. Among his many contributions to Mexican and universal science, the synthesis, on October 15, 1951, of norethisterone, the active base compound of the first synthetic contraceptive, known as the contraceptive pill, stands out. For this reason, he is considered its inventor. Luis E. Miramontes received the patent for the compound together with Carl Djerassi and George Rosenkranz, from the Mexican chemical company Syntex, S.A.^{[citation required]}

It is common for the invention of the pill to be attributed exclusively to Djerassi or Rosenkranz. Historians, however, agree that the invention - or first synthesis - is due to Miramontes. For example, Max Perutz stated that "on October 15, 1951, chemistry student Luis Miramontes, working under the direction of Djerassi and laboratory director George Rosenkranz, synthesized the compound called norethisterone." ] Djerassi himself corroborated this version by stating that it was, in fact, Miramontes who synthesized the compound for the first time. [2] The scientific article where the synthesis is reported presents Miramontes as the first author. Finally, the synthesis method was recorded on October 15, 1951, on page 114 of Miramontes' own personal notebook of laboratory notes. The contraceptive pill was the best-seller by George Rosenkranz, but Carl Djerassi himself admitted that Luis Miramontes was the one who synthesized it for the first time.^{[citation required]}

Recognitions

• In 1964, the birth control pill was chosen by the United States Patent Department as one of the 40 most important inventions recorded between 1794 and 1964. The name of Luis Miramontes appeared next to those of Pasteur, Edison, Bell, the Wright brothers and others of equal size, included in the "USA Inventors Hall of Fame".^{[chuckles]required]}

• In 1985, he received the Presea State of Mexico, in the area of science and arts, in the modality of Technology and Design “Ezequiel Ordóñez”, as well as a public recognition of the government of the state of Nayarit and an academic recognition of the Technological Institute of Tepic for its professional exercise.^{[chuckles]required]}

• He received the National Prize for Chemistry Andrés Manuel del Río in 1986.

• In 1989, he joined as pugwashita, i.e. a member of the Pugwash Conference, an organization that promotes peace and global development. The Pugwash Conferences won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995.^{[chuckles]required]}

• In 1992, the General Hospital of Zone No. 1, of the Mexican Social Security Institute, in Tepic, Nayarit, was named "Hospital Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cárdenas".^{[chuckles]required]}

• In 1994, the Ministry of Health recognized it for its scientific contribution by promoting the National Family Planning Programme in Mexico.^{[chuckles]required]}

• He received from the government of the state of Nayarit the Presea Amado Nervo in 1998.^{[chuckles]required]}

• In 2000, the birth control pill was called three times as one of the most important inventions of the past 2000 years, by a group of prominent personalities, which included several scientists awarded the Nobel Prize.[5]

• In 2001, 50 years after the synthesis of 19-Noretisterone, UNAM and the Mexican Ministry of Health organized homage.^{[chuckles]required]}

• In 2003, noretisterone was considered one of the 17 most important molecules in human history.[6]

• In 2004, the invention of Luis E. Miramontes was chosen as the most important twentieth of all time. The election was organized by SCENTA, an initiative of The Engineering and Technology Board of the United Kingdom.^{[chuckles]required]}

• In 2005, the Mexican Academy of Sciences called the invention of Miramontes Cárdenas as the Mexican contribution to the most important world science of the centuryXX..

• In 2006, noretisterone was listed by the Brazilian magazine Galileu as one of the 10 most important and revolutionary chemicals in all of humanity's history.[7]

• In 2009, the London BBC named it one of the five most important Latin American researchers of all time.[8]
  • In the same year, the Faculty of Chemistry of UNAM recognized it as its most outstanding graduate of all time, baptizing with its name the 2009 QUIMIUNAM award.[10]

• In 2010, the magazine TCE Today, published by the IChemE (Institution of Chemical Engineers), considered it "one of the chemical engineers who changed the world."
  • In 2010, the Innovative American initiative named him one of the Icons and Legends of America.

• In 2011, he was elected by the IChemE as one of the most influential chemical engineers in all history, a distinction shared with other major chemical inventors, such as Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, both Nobel Prize winners.
  • In 2011, the IMIQ awarded the "Ing. Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cárdenas" award, which recognizes Mexicans who are outstanding in innovation, research and technological development in chemical engineering.

• In August of 2021, at its last session, the XXXII Legislature of the Nayarit Congress paid tribute to him, enrolling his name with golden letters at the Wall of Honor.

Luis E. Miramontes is, along with Andrés Manuel del Río (discoverer of vanadium) and Mario Molina, one of the three Mexican chemists of greatest universal significance.

Select scientific work

• MIRAMONTES L; ROSENKRANZ G; DJERASSI C. 1951 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 73 (7): 3540-41 STEROIDS.22. THE SYNTHESIS OF 19-NOR-PROGESTERONE
• SANDOVAL A; MIRAMONTES L; ROSENKRANZ G; DJERASSI C. 1951 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 73 (3): 990-91. THE DIENONE PHENOL REARRANGEMENT
• SANDOVAL A; MIRAMONTES L; ROSENKRANZ G; DJERASSI C; SONDHEIMER F. 1953 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 75 (16): 4117-18 STEROIDS.69. 19-NOR-DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE, A POTENT MINERALOCORTICOID HORMONE
• MANCERA O; MIRAMONTES L; ROSENKRANZ G; SONDHEIMER F; DJERASSI C. 1953 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 75 (18): 4428-29 STEROIDAL SAPOGENINS.28. THE REACTION OF PERACIDS WITH ENOL ACETATES OF DELTA-8-7-KETO AND DELTA-8-11-KETO STEROIDAL SAPOGENINS
• DJERASSI C; MIRAMONTES L; ROSENKRANZ G. 1953 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 75 (18): 4440-42 STEROIDS.48. 19-NORPROGESTERONE, A POTENT PROGESTATIONAL HORMONE
• DJERASSI C; MIRAMONTES L; ROSENKRANZ G; SONDHEIMER F. 1954 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 76 (16): 4092-94 STEROIDS.54. SYNTHESIS OF 19-NOR-17-ALPHA-ETHYNYLTESTOSTERONE AND 19-NOR-17-ALPHA-METHYLTESTOSTERONE

Inventions patented by Luis E. Miramontes

• Carl Djerassi, Luis MiramontesGeorge Rosenkranz (01/05/1956),
  Delta 4-19-nor-17alpha-ethinylandrosten-17beta-ol-3-one and process
  United States Patent US2,744,122
• Carl Djerassi, Luis Miramontes (21/08/1956),
  Cyclopentanophenanthrene derivatives and compounds
  United States Patent US2,759,951.
• Carl Djerassi, Luis MiramontesGeorge Rosenkranz (18/12/1956),
  17alpha-methyl-19-nortesterone
  United States Patent US2,774,777
• Miramontes Luis E., Romero Miguel A, Ahuad Farjat Fortunato (1959),
  Preparation of 6-methyl steroids of the pregnane series from godgenin
  United States Patent US2,878,246
• Miramontes Luis E., Romero Miguel A, Fritsche O, Preparation of 6-methyl steroids of the pregnane series, United States Patent 2878247.
• Miramontes Luis E. (1959), Procedure for obtaining sapogenins from natural un-dried products, United States Patent 2912362.
• Carl Djerassi, Luis MiramontesGeorge Rosenkranz (1959), DELTA.4-19-NOR-17.alpha.-ETHINYLANDROSTEN-17.beta.-OL-3 ONE, Canada Patent CA 571510
• Miramontes Luis E., Romero Miguel A (1960), 12alpha-hydroxy-12beta-methyltigogenin and 12-methylene steroids derived therefrom, United States Patent 2954375.
• Miramontes Luis E., Romero Miguel A, Ahuad Farjat Fortunato (1961), 3beta-alkanoyloxy-6-methyl-5,16-pregnadien-20-ones, United States Patent 3000914.
• Miramontes Luis E. (1961), Process for the production of 3beta-hydroxy-16alpha, 17alpha-epoxy-5-pregnen-20-one, United States Patent 3004967.
• Miramontes Luis E. (1961), Resolution of sapogenin mixtures and intermediate products, United States Patent 3013010.
• Miramontes Luis E. (1962), Hecogenin azine and alkyliden-azinotigogenins, United States Patent 3033857.
• Miramontes Luis E., Fritsche Oscar, Romero Miguel A (1963), DEHYDRO-OXYGENATED-6-METHYL-16.alpha.,17.alpha.-EPOXYPREGN-20-ONE-DERIVATIVES, Canada Patent CA 673756.
• Miramonte, Luis E., Humberto J Flowers (1968), Process for isolation of solanum alkaloids from solanum plants, United States Patent 3385844.
• Miramonte, Luis E. (1972), Process for the conversion of exhaust gases of the internal combustion engines into harmless products, United States Patent 3808805.
• Miramontes Luis E., Castillo Cervantes Salvador, Moran Pineda Florence M (9/07/1996)
  Catalytically active ceramic monoliths for the reduction of leaded petrol fueled engine pollutants and the production thereof
  United States Patent US5,534,475