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 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

The synthesis of mono- and bicyclic ethers via acid catalysed ring-opening cyclisation of tetrahydropyranyl ether derivatives

DJ Dixon, SV Ley, EW Tate

Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1

(2000)

1829

(doi: 10.1039/a909302h)

Oxygen to carbon rearrangements of anomerically linked alkenols from tetrahydropyran derivatives: An investigation of the reaction mechanism via a double isotopic labelling crossover study

MF Buffet, DJ Dixon, GL Edwards, SV Ley, EW Tate

JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1

(2000)

1815

(doi: 10.1039/a909300a)

Methyl 2,3-O-(6,6′-octahydro-6,6′-bi-2h-pyran-2,2′-diyl)-α-d- galactopyranoside: α-D-Galactopyranoside, methyl, 2,3-O-octahydro[2,2′-bi-2H-pyran]-2,2′-diyl-, [2(2R,2′R)-]

SV Ley, HMI Osborn

Organic Syntheses

(2000)

77

212

A short stereoselective total synthesis of the fusarium toxin equisetin

LT Burke, DJ Dixon, SV Ley, F Rodríguez

Organic letters

(2000)

2

3611

(doi: 10.1021/ol006493u)

The Total Synthesis of the Annonaceous Acetogenin, Muricatetrocin C

DJ Dixon, SV Ley, DJ Reynolds

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

(2000)

39

3622

(doi: 10.1002/1521-3773(20001016)39:20<3622::aid-anie3622>3.0.co;2-h)

Membership changes - Reply

S Ley

CHEMISTRY IN BRITAIN

(2000)

36

23

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of l-galactosylated dimeric Sialyl Lewis X structures employing α-1,3-fucosyltransferase V

A Düffels, LG Green, R Lenz, SV Ley, SP Vincent, CH Wong

Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry

(2000)

8

2519

(doi: 10.1016/s0968-0896(00)00187-5)

Polymer-supported reagents for multi-step organic synthesis: application to the synthesis of sildenafil.

IR Baxendale, SV Ley

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters

(2000)

10

1983

(doi: 10.1016/s0960-894x(00)00383-8)

Untitled - Comment

S Ley

CHEMISTRY IN BRITAIN

(2000)

36

3

Combined application of analytical techniques for the characterization of polymer supported species

P Grice, AG Leach, SV Ley, A Massi, DM Mynett

J Comb Chem

(2000)

2

491

(doi: 10.1021/cc000021p)

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