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

A Photoredox Coupling Reaction of Benzylboronic Esters and Carbonyl Compounds in Batch and Flow.
Y Chen, O May, DC Blakemore, SV Ley
Org Lett
(2019)
21
Enabling synthesis in fragment-based drug discovery by reactivity mapping: photoredox-mediated cross-dehydrogenative heteroarylation of cyclic amines.
R Grainger, TD Heightman, SV Ley, F Lima, CN Johnson
Chemical science
(2019)
10
Direct Oxidation of Csp3−H bonds using in Situ Generated Trifluoromethylated Dioxirane in Flow
M Lesieur, C Battilocchio, R Labes, J Jacq, C Genicot, SV Ley, P Pasau
Chemistry
(2019)
25
Fast continuous alcohol amination employing a hydrogen borrowing protocol
R Labes, C Mateos, C Battilocchio, Y Chen, P Dingwall, GR Cumming, JA Rincón, MJ Nieves-Remacha, SV Ley
Green Chemistry
(2019)
21
Photochemical Homologation for the Preparation of Aliphatic Aldehydes in Flow
Y Chen, M Leonardi, P Dingwall, R Labes, P Pasau, DC Blakemore, SV Ley
J Org Chem
(2018)
83
Across‐the‐World Automated Optimization and Continuous‐Flow Synthesis of Pharmaceutical Agents Operating Through a Cloud‐Based Server
DE Fitzpatrick, T Maujean, AC Evans, SV Ley
Angewandte Chemie - International Edition
(2018)
57
Across‐the‐World Automated Optimization and Continuous‐Flow Synthesis of Pharmaceutical Agents Operating Through a Cloud‐Based Server
DE Fitzpatrick, T Maujean, AC Evans, SV Ley
Angewandte Chemie
(2018)
130
Three-Component Assembly of Multiply Substituted Homoallylic Alcohols and Amines Using a Flow Chemistry Photoreactor
Y Chen, D Blakemore, P Pasau, S Ley
Organic letters
(2018)
20
In-line separation of multicomponent reaction mixtures using a new semi-continuous supercritical fluid chromatography system
DE Fitzpatrick, RJ Mutton, SV Ley
Reaction Chemistry & Engineering
(2018)
3
Integrated plug flow synthesis and crystallisation of pyrazinamide
CD Scott, R Labes, MJ Depardieu, C Battilocchio, MG Davidson, SV Ley, CC Wilson, K Robertson
Reaction Chemistry and Engineering
(2018)
3

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address