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

Towards the synthesis of the C37-C42 fragment of rapamycin: intramolecular reactions of allyl silanes with oxonium ions generated from α-alkoxy sulfones.

SV Ley, C Kouklovsky

Tetrahedron

(1994)

50

835

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4020(01)80798-5)

NOVEL POLYENE CYCLIZATION ROUTES TO THE ACYL TETRONIC ACID IONOPHORE TETRONASIN (ICI M139603)

G-J Boons, IC Lennon, SV Ley, ESE Owen, J Staunton, DJ Wadsworth

Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35

323

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)76543-9)

2 NEW ROUTES TO THE C19-C26 TETRAHYDROFURAN FRAGMENT OF THE ACYL TETRONIC ACID IONOPHORE TETRONASIN (ICI M139603)

G-J Boons, DS Brown, JA Clase, IC Lennon, SV Ley

Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35

319

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)76542-7)

Biosynthesis of tetronasin: Part 1 introduction and investigation of the diketide and triketide intermediates bound to the polyketide synthase

HC Hailes, CM Jackson, PF Leadlay, SV Ley, J Staunton

Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35

307

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)76539-7)

BIOSYNTHESIS OF TETRONASIN .2. IDENTIFICATION OF THE TETRAKETIDE INTERMEDIATE ATTACHED TO THE POLYKETIDE SYNTHASE

HC Hailes, S Handa, PF Leadlay, IC Lennon, SV Ley, J Staunton

Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35

311

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)76540-3)

BIOSYNTHESIS OF TETRONASIN .3. PREPARATION OF DEUTERIUM-LABELED TRIKETIDES AND TETRAKETIDES AS PUTATIVE BIOSYNTHETIC PRECURSORS OF TETRONASIN

HC Hailes, S Handa, PF Leadlay, IC Lennon, SV Ley, J Staunton

Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35

315

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)76541-5)

Dispiroketals in synthesis (part 6): Highly stereoselective alkylation of dispiroketal protected lactate and glycolate enolates

R Downham, KS Kim, SV Ley, M Woods

Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35

769

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)75813-8)

DISPIROKETALS IN SYNTHESIS .7. PROTECTION OF D-GLUCOPYRANOSE SUBSTRATES

AB Hughes, SV Ley, HWM Priepke, M Woods

Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35

773

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)75814-x)

Dispiroketals in synthesis (part 8): Regioselective protection of D-glucopyranose substrates

DA Entwistle, AB Hughes, SV Ley, G Visentin

Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35

777

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)75815-1)

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

SV Ley, G Meek, K-H Metten, C Pique

Chemical Communications

(1994)

1931

(doi: 10.1039/c39940001931)

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