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

Fragment-based hit identification: Thinking in 3D

AD Morley, A Pugliese, K Birchall, J Bower, P Brennan, N Brown, T Chapman, M Drysdale, IH Gilbert, S Hoelder, A Jordan, SV Ley, A Merritt, D Miller, ME Swarbrick, PG Wyatt

Drug Discovery Today

(2013)

1221

(doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2013.07.011)

Abstract B96: Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of a novel allosteric inhibitor of HSET that damages cancer cells with supernumerary centrosomes.

CA Watts, FM Richards, A Bender, PJ Bond, O Korb, O Kern, M Riddick, P Owen, RM Myers, J Raff, F Gergely, DI Jodrell, SV Ley

Molecular Cancer Therapeutics

(2013)

B96

(doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.targ-13-b96)

An overview of the synthetic routes to the best selling drugs containing 6-membered heterocycles

M Baumann, IR Baxendale

Beilstein J Org Chem

(2013)

2265

(doi: 10.3762/bjoc.9.265)

Sustainable flow oppenauer oxidation of secondary benzylic alcohols with a heterogeneous zirconia catalyst

R Chorghade, C Battilocchio, JM Hawkins, SV Ley

Org Lett

(2013)

5698

(doi: 10.1021/ol4027107)

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of an allosteric inhibitor of HSET that targets cancer cells with supernumerary centrosomes.

CA Watts, FM Richards, A Bender, PJ Bond, O Korb, O Kern, M Riddick, P Owen, RM Myers, J Raff, F Gergely, DI Jodrell, SV Ley

Chemistry and Biology

(2013)

1399

(doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.09.012)

Flow‐Based, Cerium Oxide Enhanced, Low‐Level Palladium Sonogashira and Heck Coupling Reactions by Perovskite Catalysts

C Battilocchio, BN Bhawal, R Chorghade, BJ Deadman, JM Hawkins, SV Ley

Israel Journal of Chemistry

(2013)

371

(doi: 10.1002/ijch.201300049)

Continuous flow-processing of organometallic reagents using an advanced peristaltic pumping system and the telescoped flow synthesis of (E/Z)-tamoxifen

PRD Murray, DL Browne, JC Pastre, C Butters, D Guthrie, SV Ley

Organic Process Research & Development

(2013)

1192

(doi: 10.1021/op4001548)

The application of a monolithic triphenylphosphine reagent for conducting Ramirez gem-dibromoolefination reactions in flow

KA Roper, MB Berry, SV Ley

Beilstein J Org Chem

(2013)

1781

(doi: 10.3762/bjoc.9.207)