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

Highly diastereoselective desymmetrisation of cyclic meso-anhydrides and derivatisation to mono-protected 1,4-diols

SV Ley, AC Evans, DA Longbottom, M Matsuoka

Synlett

(2005)

646

(doi: 10.1055/s-2005-862393)

A Homo-Proline Tetrazole as an Improved Organocatalyst for the Asymmetric Michael Addition of Carbonyl Compounds to Nitro-Olefins

SV Ley, CE Mitchell, AJ Cobb

Synlett

(2005)

611

(doi: 10.1055/s-2005-862392)

A Highly Automated, Polymer-Assisted Strategy for the Preparation of 2-Alkylthiobenzimidazoles and N,N ‘ -Dialkylbenzimidazolin-2-ones

E Vickerstaffe, BH Warrington, M Ladlow, SV Ley

Journal of combinatorial chemistry

(2005)

385

(doi: 10.1021/cc049832+)

Synthesis of a Ceramide Sphingolipid as a Potential Sex Pheromone of the Hair CrabErimacrus isenbeckiiUsing Butane-2,3-diacetal Desymmetrised Glycolic Acid Building Blocks

SV Ley, DJ Dixon, S Lohmann, TD Sheppard

Synlett

(2005)

481

(doi: 10.1055/s-2005-862361)

The total synthesis of the annonaceous acetogenin 10-hydroxyasimicin.

GL Nattrass, E Díez, MM McLachlan, DJ Dixon, SV Ley

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

(2005)

580

(doi: 10.1002/anie.200462264)

Supported Reagents and Scavengers in Multi-step Organic Synthesis

IR Baxendale, SV Ley

(2005)

Total synthesis of the Fusarium toxin equisetin

LT Burke, DJ Dixon, SV Ley, F Rodríguez

Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry

(2004)

274

(doi: 10.1039/b411350k)

Organocatalysis with proline derivatives: improved catalysts for the asymmetric Mannich, nitro-Michael and aldol reactions.

AJA Cobb, DM Shaw, DA Longbottom, JB Gold, SV Ley

Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry

(2004)

(doi: 10.1039/b414742a)

Preparation of enantiopure butane-2,3-diacetals of glycolic acid and alkylation reactions leading to α-hydroxyacid and amide derivatives

SV Ley, E Diez, DJ Dixon, RT Guy, P Michel, GL Nattrass, TD Sheppard

Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry

(2004)

3608

(doi: 10.1039/b412788a)

Studies on the generation of enolate anions from butane-2,3-diacetal protected glycolic acid derivatives and subsequent highly diastereoselective coupling reactions with aldehydes and acid chlorides.

SV Ley, DJ Dixon, RT Guy, MA Palomero, A Polara, F Rodriguez, TD Sheppard

Organic & biomolecular chemistry

(2004)

3618

(doi: 10.1029/b412790k)

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