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 last 10 years we have completed the total synthesis of 28 natural products including spongistatin 1 (anti-mitotic agent), rapamycin (immunosuppressant), thapsigargin (SERCA pumps inhibitor), azadirachtin (insect antifeedant) and bengazole A (fungicide), taking our group total to 150 completed total syntheses. In addition to our research on natural product synthesis, we also have a new state-of-the-art flow chemistry facility.

For more detailed research information, group members and our publication list please see the group website.

Publications

Dispiroketals in synthesis (Part 12): Functionalised dispiroketals as new chiral auxiliaries; the synthesis of dihydroxylated dispiroketals in optically pure form

BCB BEZUIDENHOUDT, GH CASTLE, SV LEY

Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

7447

(doi: 10.1016/0040-4039(94)85338-X)

Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica (Part 17): Synthesis of model compounds of azadirachtin. Unusual effect of remote substituents on the course of the oxidative ring contraction reaction.

RB GROSSMAN, SV LEY

Tetrahedron

(1994)

11553

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4020(01)89292-9)

SELECTIVE ACYLATION AND ALKYLATION REACTIONS OF DIOLS USING DIBUTYLTIN DIMETHOXIDE (PG 913, 1993)

CJ BOONS, GH CASTLE, JA CLASE, P GRICE, SV LEY, C PINEL

SYNLETT

(1994)

764

Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica (Part 16): Synthesis of several derivatives of azadirachtin containing fluorescent or immunogenic reporter groups

RB GROSSMAN, SV LEY

Tetrahedron

(1994)

8871

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4020(01)85360-6)