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

Preparation of t-butyl 4-diethylphosphono-3-oxobutanethioate and use in the synthesis of (E)-4-alkenyl-3-oxoesters and macrolides

SV Ley, PR Woodward

Tetrahedron Letters

(1987)

28

345

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)95725-3)

The use of β-ketothioesters for the exceptionally mild preparation of β-ketoamides

SV Ley, PR Woodward

Tetrahedron Letters

(1987)

28

3019

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)96273-7)

A CONFORMATIONAL STUDY OF BAFILOMYCIN-A1 BY X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHY AND NMR TECHNIQUES

GH Baker, PJ Brown, RJJ Dorgan, JR Everett, SV Ley, AMZ Slawin, DJ Williams

Tetrahedron Letters

(1987)

28

5565

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)96783-2)

Synthesis of the monocyclic nonaromatic C-1 to C-10 fragments of the milbemycins and avermectins.

NJ Anthony, T Clarke, AB Jones, SV Ley

Tetrahedron Letters

(1987)

28

5755

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)96833-3)

Synthesis of a novel 3, 4-dihydromilbemycin analogue.

C Greck, P Grice, AB Jones, SV Ley

Tetrahedron Letters

(1987)

28

5759

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)96834-5)

Use of S -t-butyl acetothioacetate in the preparation of milbemycin seco-analogues

T Clarke, SV Ley

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1987)

131

(doi: 10.1039/p19870000131)

Synthesis of a hydroxy dihydrofuran acetal related to azadirachtin: A potent insect antifeedant

SV Ley, D Santafianos, WM Blaney, MSJ Simmonds

Tetrahedron Letters

(1987)

28

1595

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)95369-3)

Synthesis of a hydroxy dihydrofuran acetal related to azadirachtin: A potent insect antifeedant

SV Ley, D Santafianos, WM Blaney, MSJ Simmonds

Tetrahedron Letters

(1987)

28

221

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)95691-0)

DEVELOPMENT OF A SYNTHETIC ROUTE TOWARDS MILBEMYCIN-BETA-1 - PREPARATION OF AN ADVANCED MODEL SYSTEM

NJ Anthony, P Grice, SV Ley

Tetrahedron Letters

(1987)

28

5763

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)96835-7)

Preparation of acyltetronic acids using t-butyl acetothioacetate: Total synthesis of the fungal metabolites carolic, carlosic, and carlic acids

PM Booth, CMJ Fox, SV Ley

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1987)

121

(doi: 10.1039/p19870000121)

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