Professor Steve Ley CBE FRS FMedSci | Professor Steven V. Ley Research Group

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

CYCLOHEXANE-1,2-DIACETALS IN SYNTHESIS .2. A FACILE ONE-POT SYNTHESIS OF A TRISACCHARIDE UNIT FROM THE COMMON POLYSACCHARIDE ANTIGEN OF GROUP-B STREPTOCOCCI USING CYCLOHEXANE-1,2-DIACETAL (CDA) PROTECTED RHAMNOSIDES

SV LEY, HWM PRIEPKE

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

(2003)

33

2292

(doi: 10.1002/anie.199422921)

Cyclohexane‐1,2‐diacetals (CDA): A New Protecting Group for Vicinal Diols in Carbohydrates

SV LEY, HWM PRIEPKE, SL WARRINER

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

(2003)

33

2290

(doi: 10.1002/anie.199422901)

Synthesis of the nonamannan residue of a glycoprotein with high mannose content

P Grice, SV Ley, J Pietruszka, HWM Priepke

Angewandte Chemie International Edition in English

(2003)

35

197

(doi: 10.1002/anie.199601971)

Microwave assisted Leimgruber–Batcho reaction for the preparation of indoles, azaindoles and pyrroylquinolines

J Siu, IR Baxendale, SV Ley

Org Biomol Chem

(2003)

2

160

(doi: 10.1039/b313012f)

A Route to the Thapsigargins from (S)-Carvone Providing a Substrate-Controlled Total Synthesis of Trilobolide, Nortrilobolide, and Thapsivillosin F

SF Oliver, K Högenauer, O Simic, A Antonello, MD Smith, SV Ley

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl

(2003)

42

5996

(doi: 10.1002/anie.200353140)

Enantioselective Synthesis of the Tetrahydrobenzylisoquinoline Alkaloid (-)-Norarmepavine Using Polymer Supported Reagents

IR Baxendale, TD Davidson, SV Ley, RH Perni

Heterocycles

(2003)

60

2707

(doi: 10.3987/com-03-9892)

Copper(I)-catalyzed preparation of (E)-3-iodoprop-2-enoic acid: (2-Propenoic acid, 3-iodo-, (2E)-)

DJ Dixon, SV Ley, DA Longbottom

Organic Syntheses

(2003)

80

129

The use of butane diacetals of glycolic acid as precursors for the synthesis of the phytotoxic calmodulin inhibitor herbarumin II

E Diez, DJ Dixon, SV Ley, A Polara, F Rodriguez

Helvetica Chimica Acta

(2003)

86

3717

(doi: 10.1002/hlca.200390314)

The synthesis of the anti-malarial natural product polysphorin and analogues using polymer -supported reagents and scavengers

A-L Lee, SV Ley

Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry

(2003)

1

3957

(doi: 10.1039/b308761a)

Preparation of Butane-1,2-diacetal-protected l -Glyceraldehyde from d -Mannitol

SV Ley, P Michel

Synthesis

(2003)

2004

147

(doi: 10.1055/s-2003-42489)

Research Interest Groups

Synthetic Chemistry

Materials Chemistry

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