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

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

SV Ley, LR Cox

Chem. Commun.

(1996)

657

(doi: 10.1039/CC9960000657)

Direct protection of 1,2-diols from alpha-diketones

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

Synlett

(1996)

1996

793

(doi: 10.1055/s-1996-5523)

Dispiroketals: A new functional group for organic synthesis

SV Ley, R Downham, PJ Edwards, JE Innes, M Woods

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1995)

365

(doi: 10.1039/co9950200365)

Spiroketal glycomimetics: the synthesis of a conformationally restrained Sialyl Lewis X mimic

AA Birkbeck, SV Ley, JC Prodger

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters

(1995)

2637

(doi: 10.1016/0960-894X(95)00469-A)

DISPIROKETALS IN SYNTHESIS .18. REGIOSELECTIVE AND ENANTIOSELECTIVE PROTECTION OF SYMMETRICAL POLYOL SUBSTRATES USING AN ENANTIOPURE (2S,2'S)-DIMETHYL-BIS-DIHYDROPYRAN (SEPTEMBER, PG 898, 1995)

PJ EDWARDS, SV LEY

SYNLETT

(1995)

1196

10.1007/BF02383020

MSJ Simmonds, WM Blaney, SV Ley, JC Anderson, R Banteli, AA Denholm, PCW Green, RB Grossman, C Gutteridge, L Jennens

Entomologia experimentalis et applicata

(1995)

(doi: 10.1111/j.1570-7458.1995.tb01987.x)

Dispiroketals in synthesis (part 19)1: Dispiroketals as enantioselective and regioselective protective agents for symmetric cyclic and acyclic polyols.

R Downham, PJ Edwards, DA Entwistle, AB Hughes, KS Kim, SV Ley

Tetrahedron Asymmetry

(1995)

2403

(doi: 10.1016/0957-4166(95)00318-j)

SOLID-PHASE SYNTHESIS OF BICYCLO[2.2.2]OCTANE DERIVATIVES VIA TANDEM MICHAEL ADDITION-REACTIONS AND SUBSEQUENT REDUCTIVE AMINATION

S Ley*, D Mynett, W-J Koot

Synlett

(1995)

1995

1017

(doi: 10.1055/s-1995-5164)

Dispiroketals in synthesis (Part 18) 1 : Regioselective and enantioselective protection of symmetric polyol substrates using an enantiopure (2 S,2' S)-Dimethyl- bis -dihydropyran

P Edwards, S Ley*

Synlett

(1995)

1995

898

(doi: 10.1055/s-1995-5122)

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