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

Tricarbonyliron complexes: an approach to acyclic stereocontrol

LR Cox, SV Ley

Chemical Society Reviews

(1998)

301

(doi: 10.1039/a827301z)

Diastereoselective anomeric oxygen to carbon rearrangements of silyl enol ether derivatives of lactols

DJ Dixon*, SV Ley, EW Tate

Synlett

(1998)

1998

1093

(doi: 10.1055/s-1998-1867)

Enantioselective aldol reactions of α-unsubstituted enol ether derivatives catalyzed by a chiral Ti(IV) complex

SV Ley, LR Cox

Chemtracts

(1997)

853

Tetra-n-propylammonium perruthenate (TPAP)-catalysed oxidations of alcohols using molecular oxygen as a co-oxidant

R Lenz, SV Ley

Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1

(1997)

3291

(doi: 10.1039/a707339i)

1,5-Asymmetric induction of chirality: highly diastereoselective synthesis of homoallylic tertiary alcohols by the Lewis acid-mediated addition of allylstannanes into ketones in the side-chain of π-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes

SV Ley, LR Cox

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1997)

3315

(doi: 10.1039/a704491g)

1,5-Asymmetric induction of chirality: diastereoselective addition of organoaluminium reagents and allylstannanes into aldehyde groups in the side-chain of π-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes

SV Ley, S Burckhardt, LR Cox, G Meek

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1997)

3327

(doi: 10.1039/a704487i)

1,5-Asymmetric induction of chirality: highly diastereoselective addition reactions of organoaluminium reagents into ketone groups in the side-chain of pi-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes

SV Ley, LR Cox, G Meek, K-H Metten, C Piqué, JM Worrall

Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1

(1997)

3299

(doi: 10.1039/a704481j)

Rapid access to rare natural pyranosides using 1,2-diacetal protected intermediates

SV Ley, DR Owen, KE Wesson

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(1997)

2805

(doi: 10.1039/a705360f)

Direct preparation of diacetals from 1,2-diketones and their use as 1,2-diol protecting groups

A Hense, SV Ley, HMI Osborn, DR Owen, J-F Poisson, SL Warriner, KE Wesson

JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1

(1997)

2023

(doi: 10.1039/a702497e)

Polymer Supported Perruthenate (PSP): A new oxidant for clean organic synthesis

B Hinzen, SV Ley

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1997)

1907

(doi: 10.1039/a703461j)

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