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

A New Methodology for Incorporating Chiral Linkers into Stapled Peptides.

JC Serrano, J Sipthorp, W Xu, LS Itzhaki, SV Ley

Chembiochem

(2017)

18

1066

(doi: 10.1002/cbic.201700075)

Utilization of flow chemistry in catalysis: New avenues for the selective synthesis of Bis(indolyl)methanes

SS Mohapatra, ZE Wilson, S Roy, SV Ley

Tetrahedron

(2017)

73

1812

(doi: 10.1016/j.tet.2017.02.026)

One-Pot Acid-Catalyzed Ring-Opening/Cyclization/Oxidation of Aziridines with N-Tosylhydrazones: Access to 1,2,4-Triazines

L Crespin, L Biancalana, T Morack, DC Blakemore, SV Ley

Org Lett

(2017)

19

1084

(doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.7b00101)

Rapid Asymmetric Synthesis of Disubstituted Allenes by Coupling of Flow‐Generated Diazo Compounds and Propargylated Amines

J-S Poh, S Makai, T von Keutz, DN Tran, C Battilocchio, P Pasau, SV Ley

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

(2017)

56

1864

(doi: 10.1002/anie.201611067)

Rapid Asymmetric Synthesis of Disubstituted Allenes by Coupling of Flow-Generated Diazo Compounds and Propargylated Amines

J Poh, S Makai, T von Keutz, DN Tran, C Battilocchio, P Pasau, SV Ley

Angewandte Chemie

(2017)

129

1890

(doi: 10.1002/ange.201611067)

On the Synthesis and Reactivity of 2,3-Dihydropyrrolo[1,2-a]quinazolin-5(1H)-ones

C Sutherell, S Ley

Synthesis Germany

(2017)

49

135

(doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1562792)

Engineering chemistry for the future of chemical synthesis

DE Fitzpatrick, SV Ley

Tetrahedron

(2017)

74

3087

(doi: 10.1016/j.tet.2017.08.050)

Continuous direct anodic flow oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons to benzyl amides

MA Kabeshov, B Musio, SV Ley

Reaction Chemistry & Engineering

(2017)

2

822

(doi: 10.1039/c7re00164a)

Engineering chemistry: Integrating batch and flow reactions on a single, automated reactor platform

DE Fitzpatrick, SV Ley

Reaction Chemistry and Engineering

(2016)

1

629

(doi: 10.1039/c6re00160b)

Visible Light Activation of Boronic Esters Enables Efficient Photoredox C(sp$^2$)-C(sp$^3$) Cross-Couplings in Flow

F Lima, MA Kabeshov, DN Tran, C Battilocchio, J Sedelmeier, G Sedelmeier, B Schenkel, SV Ley

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

(2016)

128

14291

(doi: 10.1002/anie.201605548)

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