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

A short syntesis of (±)-hirsutene involving the use of an organoselenium-mediated cyclization reaction

SV Ley, PJ Murray

J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun.

(1982)

1252

(doi: 10.1039/c39820001252)

Thermal rearrangement reactions of tricarbonyliron lactone complexes

GD Annis, SV Ley, CR Self, R Sivaramakrishnan, DJ Williams

JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1

(1982)

1355

(doi: 10.1039/p19820001355)

The X-ray structure and absolute configuration of insect antifeedant clerodane diterpenoids from Teucrium africanum

JR Hanson, DEA Rivett, SV Ley, DJ Williams

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(1982)

1005

(doi: 10.1039/p19820001005)

Dehydrogenation of lactones using benzeneseleninic anhydride. X-ray crystal structure of 3β-acetoxy-14α-hydroxy-17a-oxa-D-homo-5α-androst- 15-en-17-one

DHR Barton, RAHF Hui, SV Ley, DJ Williams

JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1

(1982)

1919

(doi: 10.1039/p19820001919)

SYNTHESIS OF METHYL-1,6-DIOXASPIRO[4,5]DECANES USING ORGANOSELENIUM MEDIATED CYCLIZATION REACTIONS

SV Ley, B Lygo

Tetrahedron Letters

(1982)

4625

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)85671-3)

A conformational study of elaiophylin by X-ray crystallography and difference 1H NMR methods; observation of a selective sign reversal of the nuclear overhauser effect

SV Ley, D Neuhaus, DJ Williams

Tetrahedron Letters

(1982)

1207

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)87061-6)

A PRACTICAL CATALYTIC METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF STEROIDAL 1,4-DIEN-3-ONES BY OXYGEN ATOM TRANSFER FROM IODOXYBENZENE TO DIPHENYL DISELENIDE

DHR Barton, CRA Godfrey, JW Morzycki, WB Motherwell, SV Ley

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(1982)

1947

(doi: 10.1039/p19820001947)

Synthesis of polyoxygenated trans-decalins as potential insect antifeedants

SV Ley, D Neuhaus, NS Simpkins, AJ Whittle

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(1982)

2157

(doi: 10.1039/p19820002157)

Oxidation of benzylic hydrocarbons with benzeneseleninic anhydride and related reactions

DHR Barton, RAHF Hui, SV Ley

J CHEM SOC PERK T 1

(1982)

2179

(doi: 10.1039/p19820002179)

AN UNEXPECTED REARRANGEMENT OF 4-ALKYLAMINOINDOLES

SV Ley, RA Porter

Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications

(1982)

1356

(doi: 10.1039/c39820001356)

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