In the Ley Group, we specialise in developing new synthesis methods and applying them to the construction of biologically important molecules. Over the last 4 years we have completed the total synthesis of 38 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 140 completed total syntheses. In addition to our research on natural product synthesis, we have the Innovative Technology Centre (ITC); a new state-of-the-art flow chemistry facility. Our group is also part of the CRUK PhD Training Programme in Medicinal Chemistry.
For more detailed research information, group members and our publication list please see the group website

The synthesis of Bcr-Abl inhibiting anticancer pharmaceutical agents imatinib, nilotinib and dasatinib.
BJ Deadman, MD Hopkin, IR Baxendale, SV Ley - Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry (
2013)
11, 1766
(DOI:
10.1039/c2ob27003j)
An expeditious synthesis of imatinib and analogues utilising flow chemistry methods
MD Hopkin, IR Baxendale, SV Ley - Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry (
2013)
11, 1822
(DOI:
10.1039/c2ob27002a)
Synthesis of (-)-Hennoxazole A: Integrating Batch and Flow Chemistry Methods
A Fernández, ZG Levine, M Baumann, S Sulzer-Mossé, C Sparr, S Schläger, A Metzger, IR Baxendale, SV Ley - Synlett (
2013)
24, 514
(DOI:
10.1055/s-0032-1318109)
The synthesis of neurotensin antagonist SR 48692 for prostate cancer research
IR Baxendale, S Cheung, MO Kitching, SV Ley, JW Shearman - Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry (2013) 21, 4378
Synthesis of spongistatin 2 employing a new route to the EF fragment
H Kraus, A Français, M O'Brien, J Frost, A Diéguez-Vázquez, A Polara, N Baricordi, R Horan, D-S Hsu, T Tsunoda, SV Ley - Chemical Science (
2013)
4, 1989
(DOI:
10.1039/c3sc50304f)
Synthesis of (-)-hennoxazole A: Integrating batch and flow chemistry methods
A Fernández, ZG Levine, M Baumann, S Sulzer-Mossé, C Sparr, S Schläger, A Metzger, IR Baxendale, SV Ley - Synlett (2013) 24, 514
Flow microwave technology and microreactors in synthesis
IR Baxendale, C Hornung, SV Ley, J De Mata Muñoz Molina, A Wikström - Australian Journal of Chemistry (
2013)
66, 131
(DOI:
10.1071/CH12365)
Flow chemistry synthesis of zolpidem, alpidem and other GABAA agonists and their biological evaluation through the use of in-line frontal affinity chromatography
L Guetzoyan, N Nikbin, IR Baxendale, SV Ley - Chemical Science (
2013)
4, 764
(DOI:
10.1039/c2sc21850j)
Flow Chemistry Syntheses of Styrenes, Unsymmetrical Stilbenes and Branched Aldehydes
SL Bourne, M O'Brien, S Kasinathan, P Koos, P Tolstoy, DX Hu, RW Bates, B Martin, B Schenkel, SV Ley - ChemCatChem (
2013)
5, 159
(DOI:
10.1002/cctc.201200778)
A Continuous Flow Solution to Achieving Efficient Aerobic Anti-Markovnikov Wacker Oxidation
SL Bourne, SV Ley - Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis (2013) 342