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

LUMINESCENCE DYNAMICS AND C-13 NMR CHARACTERISTICS OF DINUCLEAR COMPLEXES EXHIBITING COUPLED LANTHANIDE(III) CATION PAIRS

KD Matthews, SA Bailey-Folkes, IA Kahwa, GL McPherson, CA O'Mahoney, SV Ley, DJ Williams, CJ Groombridge, CA O'Connor

The Journal of Physical Chemistry

(2002)

7021

(doi: 10.1021/j100196a033)

HOMOTROPYLIUM-8-SULFINATE COMPLEXES BY SBF5-PROMOTED RING-OPENING OF 9-THIABICYCLO[4.2.1]NONA-2,4,7-TRIENE AND 9-THIABARBARALANE 9,9-DIOXIDES

LA Paquette, U Jacobsson, SV Ley

Journal of the American Chemical Society

(2002)

152

(doi: 10.1021/ja00417a023)

Formation of monohomocyclooctatetraene dianions in liquid ammonia. Analysis of the nucleophilic reactivity of the cyclononatrienyl anions generated upon solvent protonation

LA Paquette, SV Ley, SG Traynor, JT Martin, JM Geckle

Journal of the American Chemical Society

(2002)

8162

(doi: 10.1021/ja00441a046)

QUESTION OF DELOCALIZATION IN ANCHORED IONS WITH POTENTIAL TRIS-HOMO-AROMATIC CHARACTER .1. REDUCTION OF TRICYCLO[5.4.1.O4,12]DODECA-2,5,8,10-TETRAENE AS A ROUTE TO 10PI11C DIANION

LA Paquette, MJ Kukla, SV Ley, SG Traynor

Journal of the American Chemical Society

(2002)

4756

(doi: 10.1021/ja00456a037)

Thermal Isomerization of Homoazocines

GD Ewing, SV Ley, LA Paquette

Journal of the American Chemical Society

(2002)

100

2909

(doi: 10.1021/ja00477a066)

EFFICIENT SYNTHESIS OF (-)-TRIQUINACENE-2-CARBOXYLIC ACID

LA Paquette, SV Ley, WB Farnham

Journal of the American Chemical Society

(2002)

312

(doi: 10.1021/ja00808a081)

Directed syntheses of the isomeric dimethylcyclooctatetraenes and a study of their polarographic and alkali metal reduction

LA Paquette, SV Ley, RH Meisinger, RK Russell, M Oku

Journal of the American Chemical Society

(2002)

5806

(doi: 10.1021/ja00825a019)

Alkali Metal Reduction Studies of cis- and trans-Bicyclo[6.1.0]nona-2,4,6-trienes in Liquid Ammonia. Evidence for the High Basicity of Monohomocyclooctatetraene Dianions

SV Ley, LA Paquette

Journal of the American Chemical Society

(2002)

6670

(doi: 10.1021/ja00828a021)

Tetracyanoethylene Addition to Iron Tricarbonyl Complexes of Substituted Cyclooctatetraenes. Regioselectivity Considerations during Formation of the 2,3,4,10-Tetrahapto Adducts

LA Paquette, SV Ley, S Maiorana, DF Schneider, MJ Broadhurst, RA Boggs

Journal of the American Chemical Society

(2002)

4658

(doi: 10.1021/ja00849a031)

A facile route to imidazol-4-yl anions and their reaction with carbonyl compounds

RM Turner, SD Lindell, SV Ley

Journal of Organic Chemistry

(2002)

5739

(doi: 10.1021/jo00020a002)

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