Director of Research

In the Ley Group, we specialise in developing new synthesis methods and applying them to the construction of biologically important molecules. Over the last 10 years we have completed the total synthesis of 28 natural products including spongistatin 1 (anti-mitotic agent), rapamycin (immunosuppressant), thapsigargin (SERCA pumps inhibitor), azadirachtin (insect antifeedant) and bengazole A (fungicide), taking our group total to 150 completed total syntheses. In addition to our research on natural product synthesis, we also have a new state-of-the-art flow chemistry facility. 

For more detailed research information, group members and our publication list please see the group website.

Publications

Straightforward, Scalable, Solution-Phase Synthesis of Peptide Bonds in Flow.
ZE Wilson, E Lopez, NJ Flodén, C Watkins, G Bianchini, SV Ley
Journal of Flow Chemistry
(2025)
Carbonylative transformations with Pd catalysts supported on bio-degradable urea-based polymer – Part A
M Markovič, P Lopatka, P Koóš, T Soták, A Ház, T Gracza, SV Ley, M Králik
Catalysis Today
(2024)
441
Palladium catalysts supported on biodegradable urea-based polymers in synthesis with CO – Part B
M Markovič, P Lopatka, P Koóš, T Soták, A Ház, T Gracza, SV Ley, M Králik
Catalysis Today
(2024)
440
Antascomicin B stabilizes FKBP51-Akt1 complexes as a molecular glue
SC Schäfer, AM Voll, A Bracher, SV Ley, F Hausch
Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters
(2024)
104
Continuous flow synthesis enabling reaction discovery.
AI Alfano, J García-Lacuna, OM Griffiths, SV Ley, M Baumann
Chemical Science
(2024)
15
Nitro-sulfinate Reductive Coupling to Access (Hetero)aryl Sulfonamides
SE Gatarz, OM Griffiths, HA Esteves, W Jiao, P Morse, EL Fisher, DC Blakemore, SV Ley
The Journal of Organic Chemistry
(2024)
89
Photoredox-Catalyzed Preparation of Sulfones Using Bis-Piperidine Sulfur Dioxide - An Underutilized Reagent for SO2  Transfer.
OM Griffiths, HA Esteves, DC Emmet, SV Ley
Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
(2024)
30
Automated multistep synthesis of 2-pyrazolines in continuous flow
SV Ley, R Labes, JC Pastre, RJ Ingham, C Battilocchio, HM Marçon, MCFCB Damião, DN Tran
Reaction Chemistry & Engineering
(2023)
9
The Evolution of Flow Chemistry: An Opinion on Factors Driving Innovation
SL Bourne, F Amann, SV Ley
CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry
(2023)
77
Exploring the chemical space of phenyl sulfide oxidation by automated optimization
P Mueller, A Vriza, AD Clayton, OS May, N Govan, S Notman, SV Ley, TW Chamberlain, RA Bourne
Reaction Chemistry and Engineering
(2023)
8

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address