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The maverick American chemist Russell Earl Marker (1902–1995) is known for his studies on the fragmentation of organic mercury compounds, establishing the concept of the octane number, investigating the rearrangements of hydrocarbons and exploring the relationship between optical rotation and the configuration of organic compounds. His greatest achievement, however, is the elaboration of seminal isolation and synthetic methods of an important class of natural products that helped found a new industry, based on the pharmaceutical chemistry of steroids. The nomadic life of this extraordinary man demonstrates that the enormous obstacles thwarting the progress of science and technology can be surmounted by serendipity, acumen and devotion. However, his premature retirement from chemistry is a warning sign that every scientist is vulnerable and even the toughest man's perseverance can fade if the conditions worsen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biographical essay is presented on the chemical research of Russell E. Marker (1902–1995). The biography begins in 1925 with Marker's decision to forgo a Ph.D. in chemistry because he did not wish to complete the course requirements at the University of Maryland. Marker then took a position at the Ethyl Gasoline Company where he helped develop the octane rating for gasoline. He then moved to the Rockefeller Institute where he studied the Walden inversion, and then to Penn State College where his already prolific publication record soared to even greater heights. In the 1930s, Marker became fascinated with steroids and their potential as pharmaceuticals and collected specimens from plants in the southwest US and Mexico, discovering many sources of steroidal sapogenins. With his students at Penn State College, where he rose to full professor, he discovered the structure of these sapogenins and invented the "Marker degradation" that converted diosgenin and other sapogenins into progesterone. Together with Emeric Somlo and Federico Lehmann, he co‐founded Syntex and began the manufacture of progesterone. Shortly thereafter, he left Syntex, began another pharmaceutical company in Mexico, then quit chemistry altogether. A discussion of Marker's legacies and the ironies in his professional career is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the juice of the fescue grain sorghum, since it is a low‐cost agricultural waste, for the production of bioethanol to be used as a gasoline additive. In addition, the octane number has been investigated by varying the ethanol‐gasoline mixture 2, 6 and 10%. RESULTS: The wort fermentation was carried out with commercial bread yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The liquor obtained was characterized and quantified through gas chromatography. Bioethanol–gasoline mixtures were prepared as: 2, 6 and 10% v/v to determine their octane index. Bioethanol was purified in a fractional distillation tower, attaining thereby a 93.5% purity: lastly, it was dehydrated through molecular sieves to obtain a 99.2% final purity bioethanol. Spectroscopy aided also to determine that the bioethanol–gasoline mixture containing 10% ethanol attained an octane index of 89, which is the value required for commercial gasoline in Mexico. CONCLUSION: The bioethanol obtained from the fermentation of juice of fescue grain sorghum is indeed viable to be used as additive in gasolines. The fermentation can be carried out with the bread yeast, at the natural pH of the juice and without the addition of nutrients, which leads to an attractive economic process. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gasoline produced in Mexico by the productive company of the state Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) mainly uses oil-derived ethers as oxygenators to reach the Mexican Regulatory 'Framework's octane number. An alternative to complying with these regulations could be to use bioethanol as an oxygenate. However, as a gasoline component, this could affect 'Mexico's food markets since sugar cane, and grains are the primary inputs for local production. The main objective of this study is to evaluate whether the use of bioethanol, produced from corn stubble, as an additive in gasoline produced by Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) is profitable in Mexico, from the perspective of the evaluation of the supply chain and the finances. The purpose of this work is to contribute to the definition of the advantages and limitations for the existence of a second-generation bioethanol market produced from Lignocellulosic corn biomass and integrated into the gasoline market of national production in Mexico. The work starts with theoretical research to define the use of corn stubble as raw material, set up on its availability and feasibility determined based on a geographic information system (GIS), through the use of the agricultural production forecast approach, as well as the integration of costs and financial analysis. The results show that corn stubble bioethanol production is technically viable, but the production cost is not competitive yet. Although its price is not yet competitive compared to the imported price, using a fiscal incentive scheme and considering the decrease in energy dependence, it would be feasible to produce it in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]