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

Direct protection of 1,2-diols from alpha-diketones (pg 793, 1996)

NL Douglas, SV Ley, HML Osborn, DR Owen, HWM Priepke, SL Warriner

SYNLETT

(1996)

932

Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica (part 20): synthesis of biologically active, simple analogues of azadirachtin, containing the hydroxytetrahydrofurancarboxylate hemiketal moiety

ML de la Puente, RB Grossman, SV Ley, MSJ Simmonds, WM Blaney

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1996)

1517

(doi: 10.1039/p19960001517)

Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica(part 21): synthesis of model compounds of azadirachtin using a decalin framework as a functional group scaffolding

ML de la Puente, SV Ley, MSJ Simmonds, WM Blaney

Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1

(1996)

1523

(doi: 10.1039/p19960001523)

(pi-allyl)tricarbonyliron lactone complexes in organic synthesis: A useful and conceptually unusual route to lactones and lactams

SV Ley, LR Cox, G Meek

Chemical Reviews

(1996)

423

(doi: 10.1021/cr950015t)

Direct Protection of 1,2-Diols from α-Diketones

N Douglas, S Ley*, H Osborn, D Owen, H Priepke, S Warriner

Synlett

(1996)

1996

793

(doi: 10.1055/s-1996-5523)

Diastereoselective addition reactions of allylstannanes to carbonyl groups in the side-chain of π-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes

SV Ley, LR Cox

Chemical Communications

(1996)

657

(doi: 10.1039/CC9960000657)

Autoradiographic localization of [22,23-H-3(2)] dihydroazadirachtin binding sites in desert locust testes and effects of Azadirachtin on sperm motility

AJ Nisbet, AJ Mordue Luntz, LM Williams, L Hannah, L Jennens, SV Ley, W Mordue

Tissue and Cell

(1996)

725

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-8166(96)80075-9)

Diastereoselective additions to aldehyde groups in the side-chain of π-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes

SV Ley, G Meek

Chemical Communications

(1996)

317

(doi: 10.1039/CC9960000317)

Synthetic studies towards the clerodane insect antifeedant jodrellin A: Preparation of a polycyclic model compound with antifeedant activity

AC Cuñat, D Díez-Martín, SV Ley, FJ Montgomery

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1996)

611

(doi: 10.1039/P19960000611)

Dispiroketals in Synthesis (Part 20)1: Preparation of Chiral 2,2’-Bis(halomethyl) and 2,2’-Bis(phenylthiomethyl)dihydropyrans

S Ley*, S Mio, B Meseguer

Synlett

(1996)

1996

787

(doi: 10.1055/s-1996-5520)

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