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

Total synthesis of the sesquiterpene (±)-hirsutene using an organoselenium-mediated cyclization reaction

SV Ley, PJ Murray, BD Palmer

Tetrahedron

(1985)

4765

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4020(01)96715-8)

Synthesis of the β-lactam antibiotic (+)- thienamycin via an intermediate π-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complex

ST Hodgson, DM Hollinshead, SV Ley

Tetrahedron

(1985)

5871

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4020(01)91426-7)

WITTIG AND HORNER-WITTIG COUPLING REACTIONS OF 2-SUBSTITUTED CYCLIC ETHERS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO SPIROKETAL SYNTHESIS

SV Ley, B Lygo, HM Organ, A Wonnacott

Tetrahedron

(1985)

3825

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4020(01)91403-6)

The use of t-butyl acetothioacetate as a route to bis-β-ketomacrolides

CMJ Fox, SV Ley, AMZ Slawin, DJ Williams

Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications

(1985)

1805

(doi: 10.1039/c39850001805)

Preparation of vinylic sulphones by Peterson olefination using phenyl trimethylsilylmethyl sulphone

D Craig, SV Ley, NS Simpkins, GH Whitham, MJ Prior

Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1

(1985)

1949

(doi: 10.1039/p19850001949)

Use of π-allyltricarbonyliron lactam complexes in the preparation of nocardicin derivatives: synthesis of (–)-3-oxo-1-[(p-benzyloxyphenyl)-benzyloxycarbonylmethyl]azetidin-2-one

ST Hodgson, DM Hollinshead, SV Ley, CMR Low, DJ Williams

J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1

(1985)

2375

(doi: 10.1039/p19850002375)

NOVEL REARRANGEMENT OF THE IONOPHORE ANTIBIOTIC X-14547A (INDANOMYCIN) AND RELATED DERIVATIVES INDUCED BY LITHIUM TETRAFLUOROBORATE

MP Edwards, SV Ley

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(1984)

1761

(doi: 10.1039/p19840001761)

Synthesis of the spiroacetal unit related to the avermectins and milbemycins

J Godoy, SV Ley, B Lygo

Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications

(1984)

1381

(doi: 10.1039/c39840001381)

π-Allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes in synthesis: application to the synthesis of the β-lactam antibiotic (+)-thienamycin

ST Hodgson, DM Hollinshead, SV Ley

J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun.

(1984)

494

(doi: 10.1039/C39840000494)

A NEW ROUTE TO SPIRO-KETALS USING THE HORNER-WITTIG REACTION OF 2-DIPHENYLPHOSPHINOXY CYCLIC ETHERS

SV Ley, B Lygo

Tetrahedron Letters

(1984)

113

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(01)91163-3)

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

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Study at Cambridge

About the University

Research at Cambridge