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

Rearrangement reactions of bicyclic systems. Part I. Synthesis of a model compound related to flavothebaone trimethyl ether. The abnormal ultraviolet absorption spectrum of flavothebaone and its trimethyl ether
H Heaney, JH Hollinshead, GW Kirby, SV Ley, RP Sharma, KW Bentley
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1973)
Thermal reactions of 1,4-bridged-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene derivatives
H Heaney, SV Ley, AP Price, RP Sharma
Tetrahedron Letters
(1972)
13
Multiple rearrangement reactions of 1-methoxybenzobarrelene (1,4-dihydro-1-methoxy-1,4-ethenonaphthalene) derivatives
H Heaney, SV Ley
Journal of the Chemical Society D: Chemical Communications
(1971)
ACID-CATALYSED REARRANGEMENTS OF 3,5-DIMETHYL-1-METHOXY-TETRAFLUORO-BENZOBARRELENE (5,6,7,8-TETRAFLUORO-1,4-DIHYDRO-3,10-DIMETHYL-1-METHOXY-1,4-ETHENONAPHTHALENE)
H Heaney, SV Ley
Journal of the Chemical Society D: Chemical Communications
(1971)
Rearrangement reactions of 1-NN-dimethylaminobenzobenzobarrelene derivatives (benzobarrelene = 1,4-dihydro-1,4-ethenonaphthalene)
H Heaney, SV Ley
Journal of the Chemical Society D: Chemical Communications
(1970)

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address