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

A Clean Conversion of Aldehydes to Nitriles Using a Solid-Supported Hydrazine

IR Baxendale, SV Ley, HF Sneddon

Synlett

(2002)

2002

775

(doi: 10.1055/s-2002-25333)

Preface

SV Ley

(2002)

vii

(doi: 10.1016/S1572-5995(02)80031-X)

Consecutive three- and four-component coupling reactions with anions generated from a butane diacetal desymmetrized glycolic acid derivative

DJ Dixon, SV Ley, F Rodríguez

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

(2001)

4763

(doi: 10.1002/1521-3773(20011217)40:24<4763::aid-anie4763>3.0.co;2-d)

Synthesis of nornicotine, nicotine and other functionalised derivatives using solid-supported reagents and scavengers

IR Baxendale, G Brusotti, M Matsuoka, SV Ley

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(2001)

143

(doi: 10.1039/b109482n)

The total synthesis of (+)-aspicilin using 2,3-butane diacetal protected butane tetrols via a chiral memory protocol

DJ Dixon, AC Foster, SV Ley

Canadian Journal of Chemistry

(2001)

1668

(doi: 10.1139/v01-144)

Highly Diastereoselective Lithium Enolate Aldol Reactions of Butane-2,3-diacetal Desymmetrized Glycolic Acid and Deprotection to Enantiopure anti-2,3-Dihydroxy Esters

DJ Dixon, SV Ley, A Polara, T Sheppard

Org Lett

(2001)

3749

(doi: 10.1021/ol016707n)

Highly diastereoselective Michael addition reactions of butane-2,3-diacetal desymmetrized glycolic acid. Preparation of alpha-hydroxy-gamma-amino acid derivatives

DJ Dixon, SV Ley, F Rodríguez

Org Lett

(2001)

3753

(doi: 10.1021/ol016708f)

Tetra-N-propylammonium perruthenate: a case study in catalyst recovery and re-use involving tetraalkylammonium salts

SV Ley, C Ramarao, MD Smith

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)

(2001)

2278

(doi: 10.1039/b107966m)

Rapid assembly of anti,anti-1,2,3-triol motifs via stereoselective addition of organometallics to aldehydes obtained from (R ',R ',S,R)-2,3-butane diacetal protected butanetetraol derivatives

DJ Dixon, L Krause, SV Ley

JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1

(2001)

2516

(doi: 10.1039/b105118k)

The Bestmann ylide as a multi-purpose wittig reagent

J Habermann, SV Ley

Chemtracts

(2001)

386

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