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

Rapid assembly of oligosaccharides: Total synthesis of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor of Trypanosoma brucei

DK Baeschlin, AR Chaperon, V Charbonneau, LG Green, SV Ley, U Lücking, E Walther

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl

(1999)

3423

(doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1521-3773(19981231)37:24<3423::AID-ANIE3423>3.0.CO;2-I)

Preparation of desymmetrised meso-tartrate derivatives—synthesis and utility of (R′,R′,R,S)-2,3-butane diacetal protected dimethyl tartrate

DJ Dixon, AC Foster, SV Ley, DJ Reynolds

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(1999)

1631

(doi: 10.1039/a902733e)

New building blocks for efficient and highly diastereoselective polyol production—synthesis and utility of (R ′,R ′,S,S ) and (S′,S′,R,R)-2,3-butane diacetal protected butane tetrol derivatives

JS Barlow, DJ Dixon, AC Foster, SV Ley, DJ Reynolds

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(1999)

1627

(doi: 10.1039/a902734c)

A general and efficient procedure for the preparation of enantiopure a/rf/-l,2-diols-synthesis and utility of (Rr ,R',S,K)-2,3-butam diacetal protected butane tetrol

DJ Dixon, AC Foster, SV Ley, DJ Reynolds

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1999)

1635

(doi: 10.1039/a902732g)

Total synthesis of the cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitor 1233A via a (π-allyl)tricarbonyliron lactone complex

RW Bates, E Fernández-Megía, SV Ley, K Rück-Braun, DMG Tilbrook

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1999)

1917

(doi: 10.1039/a903641e)

Three-step synthesis of an array of substituted benzofurans using polymer-supported reagents

J Habermann, SV Ley, R Smits

Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1

(1999)

2421

(doi: 10.1039/a904384e)

Highly cis- or fraws-selective oxygen to carbon rearrangements of anomerically linked 6-substituted tetrahydropyranyl enol ethers

DJ Dixon, SV Ley, EW Tate

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1999)

2665

(doi: 10.1039/a904891j)

Total synthesis of the plasmoidal pigment physarorubinic acid, a polyenoyl tetramic acid

DJ Dixon, SV Ley, DA Longbottom

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(1999)

2231

(doi: 10.1039/a904921e)

Synthesis of the potent analgesic compound (±)-epibatidine using an orchestrated multi-step sequence of polymer supported reagents

J Habermann, SV Ley, JS Scott

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1999)

1253

(doi: 10.1039/a901802f)

Clean synthesis of a-bromo ketones and their utilisation in the synthesis of 2-aIkoxy-2,3-dihydro-2-aryl-l,4-benzodioxanes, 2-amino-4-aryI-l,3-thiazoles and piperidino-2-amino-l,3-thiazoles using polymer-supported reagents

J Habermann, SV Ley, JJ Scicinski, JS Scott, R Smits, AW Thomas

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1999)

2425

(doi: 10.1039/a905616e)

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