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

Consecutive Three- and Four-Component Coupling Reactions with Anions Generated from a Butane Diacetal Desymmetrized Glycolic Acid Derivative
DJ Dixon, SV Ley, F Rodríguez
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
(2001)
40
Synthesis of nornicotine, nicotine and other functionalised derivatives using solid-supported reagents and scavengers
IR Baxendale, G Brusotti, M Matsuoka, SV Ley
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(2001)
2
Highly diastereoselective Michael addition reactions of butane-2,3-diacetal desymmetrized glycolic acid.: Preparation of α-hydroxy-γ-amino acid derivatives
DJ Dixon, SV Ley, F Rodríguez
Org Lett
(2001)
3
Highly diastereoselective lithium enolate aldol reactions of butane-2,3-diacetal desymmetrized glycolic acid and deprotection to enantiopure anti-2,3-dihydroxy esters
DJ Dixon, SV Ley, A Polara, T Sheppard
Org Lett
(2001)
3
Tetra-N-propylammonium perruthenate:: a case study in catalyst recovery and re-use involving tetraalkylammonium salts
SV Ley, C Ramarao, MD Smith
Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
(2001)
1
Rapid assembly of anti , anti -1,2,3-triol motifs via stereoselective addition of organometallics to aldehydes obtained from ( R ′, R ′, S , R )-2,3-butane diacetal protected butanetetraol derivatives
DJ Dixon, L Krause, SV Ley
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(2001)
1
The Bestmann ylide as a multi-purpose wittig reagent
J Habermann, SV Ley
Chemtracts
(2001)
14
Both mosquito-derived xanthurenic acid and a host blood-derived factor regulate gametogenesis of Plasmodium in the midgut of the mosquito.
M Arai, O Billker, HR Morris, M Panico, M Delcroix, D Dixon, SV Ley, RE Sinden
Mol Biochem Parasitol
(2001)
116
Butane-2,3-diacetal-desymmetrized glycolic acid - A new building block for the stereoselective synthesis of enantiopure alpha-hydroxy acids
E Díez, DJ Dixon, SV Ley
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl
(2001)
40
Development and Application of a Carbonyl-13C-Enriched Backbone Amide Linker for Solid-Phase Reaction Monitoring
C Jamieson, MS Congreve, PR Hewitt, JJ Scicinski, SV Ley
J Comb Chem
(2001)
3

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address