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
Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica (part 20): synthesis of biologically active, simple analogues of azadirachtin, containing the hydroxytetrahydrofurancarboxylate hemiketal moiety
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1996)
1517
(doi: 10.1039/p19960001517)
Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica (part 21): synthesis of model compounds of azadirachtin using a decalin framework as a functional group scaffolding
Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1
(1996)
1523
(doi: 10.1039/p19960001523)
(π-Allyl)tricarbonyliron lactone complexes in organic synthesis: A useful and conceptually unusual route to lactones and lactams
Chemical reviews
(1996)
96
423
(doi: 10.1021/cr950015t)
Dispiroketals in Synthesis (Part 21)1: Use of Chiral 2,2′-Bis(halomethyl)dihydropyrans as New Protecting and Resolving Agents for 1,2-Diols
Synlett
(1996)
1996
789
(doi: 10.1055/s-1996-5521)
Dispiroketals in synthesis .22. Use of chiral 2,2'-bis(phenylthiomethyl)-dihydropyrans as new protecting and resolving agents for 1,2-diols
Synlett
(1996)
1996
791
(doi: 10.1055/s-1996-5522)
Synthetic studies towards the clerodane insect antifeedant jodrellin A: Preparation of a polycyclic model compound with antifeedant activity
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1996)
611
(doi: 10.1039/P19960000611)
Autoradiographic localization of [22,23-(3)H(2)] dihydroazadirachtin binding sites in desert locust testes and effects of Azadirachtin on sperm motility.
Tissue & cell
(1996)
28
725
Diastereoselective additions to aldehyde groups in the side-chain of π-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes
Chem. Commun.
(1996)
317
(doi: 10.1039/CC9960000317)
Diastereoselective addition reactions of allylstannanes to carbonyl groups in the side-chain of π-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes
Chem. Commun.
(1996)
657
(doi: 10.1039/cc9960000657)
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