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
Dispiroketals in synthesis. Part 24.1 Preparation and use of chiral 2,2′-bis(triisopropylsilyloxymethyl)bi(dihydropyran)s as new protecting and resolving agents for 1,2-diols
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1999)
1639
(doi: 10.1039/a900950g)
Chemical synthesis of the N-glycans of gp63, the major surface glycoprotein from Leishmania mexicana amazonensis
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1999)
375
(doi: 10.1039/a809798d)
Polymer-supported hypervalent iodine reagents in ‘clean’ organic synthesis with potential application in combinatorial chemistry
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1999)
669
(doi: 10.1039/a809799b)
Synthesis of the potent analgesic compound (±)-epibatidine using an orchestrated multi-step sequence of polymer supported reagents
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1999)
1253
(doi: 10.1039/a901802f)
Assembly of dendritic glycoclusters from monomeric mannose building blocks
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1998)
3913
(doi: 10.1039/a807621i)
Total synthesis of the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1998)
3907
(doi: 10.1039/a807957i)
Characterization of azadirachtin binding to Sf9 nuclei in vitro
Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology
(1998)
34
461
Total synthesis of roflamycoin, an oxopolyene macrolide antibiotic
Chemtracts
(1998)
11
1005
A total synthesis of (+)-Goniodiol using an anomeric oxygen-to-carbon rearrangement
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1998)
3125
(doi: 10.1039/a806584e)
Clean six-step synthesis of a piperidino-thiomorpholine library using polymer-supported reagents
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1998)
3127
(doi: 10.1039/a805997g)
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