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

Development of an organic-catalyst mediated cyclopropanation reaction

MJ Gaunt, SV Ley, C Papageorgiou, N Bremeyer

ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

(2003)

225

U361

Organic‐Catalyst‐Mediated Cyclopropanation Reaction

CD Papageorgiou, SV Ley, MJ Gaunt

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)

(2003)

828

(doi: 10.1002/anie.200390222)

Transfer hydrogenation using recyclable polyurea-encapsulated palladium: efficient and chemoselective reduction of aryl ketones

J-Q Yu, H-C Wu, C Ramarao, JB Spencer, SV Ley

Chem Commun (Camb)

(2003)

678

(doi: 10.1039/b300074p)

A 2,3-butanedione protected chiral glycine equivalent—a new building block for the stereoselective synthesis of enantiopure N-protected α-amino acids

DJ Dixon, CI Harding, SV Ley, DMG Tilbrook

Chemical Communications

(2003)

468

(doi: 10.1039/b210673f)

Transfer hydrogenation using recyclable polyurea-encapsulated palladium: efficient and chemoselective reduction of aryl ketones.

JQ Yu, HC Wu, C Ramarao, JB Spencer, SV Ley

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)

(2003)

678

Rhodium-catalyzed coupling of heterocycles and alkenes: A novel mechanism of C-H activation

EP Balskus, SV Ley

Chemtracts

(2003)

443

Synthesis of enantiomers of butane-1,2-diacetal-protected glyceraldehyde and of (R,R)-butane-1,2-diacetal-protected glycolic acid

SV Ley, P Michel

Synthesis

(2003)

1598

(doi: 10.1055/s-2003-40519)

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

DJ Dixon, SV Ley, DA Longbottom, M Deritter, S Wolff

Organic Syntheses

(2003)

129

(doi: 10.15227/orgsyn.080.0129)

Development of new synthetic tools for the preparation of biologically active molecules

SV Ley, IR Baxendale, P Grice

CHEMICAL PROBES IN BIOLOGY: SCIENCE AT THE INTERFACE OF CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE

(2003)

129

235

Development of beta-keto 1,3-dithianes as versatile intermediates for organic synthesis

MJ Gaunt, HF Sneddon, PR Hewitt, P Orsini, DF Hook, SV Ley

Org. Biomol. Chem.

(2003)

(doi: 10.1039/b208982c)

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