Professor Steve Ley CBE FRS FMedSci

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 years we have completed the total synthesis of many natural products, including: spongistatin 1 (anti-mitotic agent); rapamycin (immunosuppressant); thapsigargin (SERCA pumps inhibitor); azadirachtin (insect antifeedant); and bengazole A (fungicide). In addition to our research on natural product synthesis, we also pioneered flow chemistry and machine assisted synthesis.

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

Completed Natural Products

Publications

Natural Products as an Inspiration for the Discovery of New High-Throughput Chemical Synthesis Tools, in Drug Discovery and Development: Drug Development

SV Ley, IR Baxendale, DA Longbottom, RM Myers

(2007)

(doi: 10.1002/9780470085226.ch18)

ORGN 121-Toward the total synthesis of azadirachtin

A Boyer, E Beckmann, GE Veitch, BJ Burke, SV Ley

ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

(2007)

234

Chiral glycolate equivalents for the asymmetric synthesis of α-hydroxycarbonyl compounds

SV Ley, TD Sheppard, RM Myers, MS Chorghade

Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan

(2007)

1451

(doi: 10.1246/bcsj.80.1451)

Flow and batch mode focused microwave synthesis of 5-amino-4-cyanopyrazoles and their further conversion to 4-aminopyrazolopyrimidines.

CJ Smith, FJ Iglesias-Sigüenza, IR Baxendale, SV Ley

Organic & biomolecular chemistry

(2007)

2758

(doi: 10.1039/b709043a)

Total synthesis of five thapsigargins: Guaianolide natural products exhibiting sub-nanomolar SERCA inhibition

SP Andrews, M Ball, F Wierschem, E Cleator, S Oliver, K Högenauer, O Simic, A Antonello, U Hünger, MD Smith, SV Ley

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)

(2007)

5688

(doi: 10.1002/chem.200700302)

Total Synthesis of Potent Antifungal Marine Bisoxazole Natural Products Bengazoles A and B

JA Bull, EP Balskus, RAJ Horan, M Langner, SV Ley

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)

(2007)

5515

(doi: 10.1002/chem.200700033)

Pharmaceutical strategy and innovation: An academics perspective

IR Baxendale, JJ Hayward, SV Ley, GK Tranmer

ChemMedChem

(2007)

768

(doi: 10.1002/cmdc.200700008)

(S)- and (R)-5-Pyrrolidin-2-yl-1H-tetrazoles: Enantiomeric Organocatalysts of Broad Utility in Organic Synthesis

DA Longbottom, V Franckevičius, SV Ley

CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry

(2007)

247

(doi: 10.2533/chimia.2007.247)

Solid supported reagents in multi-step flow synthesis

IR Baxendale, SV Ley

Ernst Schering Foundation symposium proceedings

(2007)

151

(doi: 10.1007/2789_2007_033)

Chromatography-free Suzuki reactions using a polymer-assisted solution-phase (PASP) approach

S Ley, E Vickerstaffe, A-L Villard, M Ladlow

Synlett

(2007)

2007

1251

(doi: 10.1055/s-2007-977457)

Research Interest Groups

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address

svl1000@cam.ac.uk

College

Trinity College

Papers of Interest

141. Preparation and use of tetra-n-propylammonium perruthenate (TPAP reagent) as new catalytic oxidants for alcohols J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun.,1987, 1625-1627.
659. The Synthesis of Azadirachtin Chem. Eur. J., 2008, 14, 10683-10704
366. Total synthesis of the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 1998, 3907-3912.
608. Total Synthesis of Rapamycin Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2007, 46, 591-597.
669. MultiStep Synthesis using Modular Flow Reactors Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2009, 48, 4017-4021
626. A Fascination with 1,2-Diacetals J. Org. Chem., 2007, 72, 5943-5959.
536. Multi-step Application of Immobilized Reagents and Scavengers: A Total Synthesis of Epothilone C Chem. Eur. J., 2004, 10, 2529-2547.
595. A Flow Process for the Multi-Step Synthesis of Oxomaritidine: A New Paradigm for Molecular Assembly J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 2006, 2566-2568.
785. Accelerating spirocyclic polyketide synthesis using flow chemistry Angew. Chem. Int. Edn., 2014, 53, 4915-4920
854. A Lewis Base Catalysis Approach for the Photoredox Activation of Boronic Acids and Esters Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2017, 56, 15136-15140

Professor Steve Ley CBE FRS FMedSci

Director of Research

Completed Natural Products

Publications

Research Interest Groups

Telephone number

Email address

College

Papers of Interest

About the Department

Departmental Services

Contact Professor Steven V. Ley Research Group

Study at Cambridge

About the University

Research at Cambridge