We Made One Gram Of Remdesivir (acsh.org)

Article summary

The article discusses the challenges of synthesizing remdesivir, a potential coronavirus treatment, due to its complex chemical structure and low-yielding reactions. A team of scientists in Taiwan successfully synthesized one gram of remdesivir with 99% purity, but the process is not scalable for mass production. The article highlights the difficulties of organic synthesis and the importance of process chemists in improving the efficiency of chemical reactions. The author, a former synthetic organic chemist, shares their expertise and experience in the field to explain the complexities of remdesivir synthesis.

Main themes

• organic synthesis
• remdesivir production
• chemistry education
• quant finance
• pharmaceutical development
• research compensation
• online communities
• chemical complexity

What commenters say

• The article's writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex chemistry concepts understandable for a general audience.
• There is a lack of online communities and resources for chemistry and other fields, similar to Hacker News for programming.
• The field of quant finance is insular and difficult to break into, but there are some online resources available for those interested in learning more.
• Chemistry and pharmaceutical development involve working with complex and sometimes dangerous substances, requiring specialized knowledge and equipment.
• The compensation for chemists and researchers can be low, especially in academia, despite the importance of their work in developing new drugs and treatments.
• The article's math mistake was minor and did not detract from the overall quality and credibility of the writing.
• The complexity of remdesivir synthesis is not unique, and other drugs have even more challenging production processes.
• The field of chemistry is distinct from other sciences and engineering disciplines, with its own set of challenges and requirements.