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 last 10 years we have completed the total synthesis of 28 natural products including spongistatin 1 (anti-mitotic agent), rapamycin (immunosuppressant), thapsigargin (SERCA pumps inhibitor), azadirachtin (insect antifeedant) and bengazole A (fungicide), taking our group total to 150 completed total syntheses. In addition to our research on natural product synthesis, we also have a new state-of-the-art flow chemistry facility.

For more detailed research information, group members and our publication list please see the group website.

Publications

Assessment of butene-1,4-diols as starting materials for the preparation of π-Allyltricarbonyliron complexes

RW BATES, D DIEZMARTIN, WJ KERR, JG KNIGHT, SV LEY, A SAKELLARIDIS

– Tetrahedron

(1990)

46,

4063

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4020(01)90541-1)

Preparation of β-ketomacrolactones and β-ketodiolides using S-t-butyl 3-oxobutanethioate and S-t-butyl 4-diethylphosphono-3-oxobutanethioate

PM BOOTH, HB BROUGHTON, MJ FORD, CMJ FOX, SV LEY, AMZ SLAWIN, DJ WILLIAMS, PR WOODWARD

– Tetrahedron

(1989)

45,

7565

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4020(01)89218-8)

CHEMISTRY OF INSECT ANTIFEEDANTS FROM AZADIRACHTA INDICA .4. SYNTHESIS TOWARDS THE LIMONOID AZADIRACHTIN - PREPARATION OF A FUNCTIONALIZED DECALIN FRAGMENT

SV LEY, AA SOMOVILLA, HB BROUGHTON, D CRAIG, AMZ SLAWIN, PL TOOGOOD, DJ WILLIAMS

– Tetrahedron

(1989)

45,

2143

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4020(01)80075-2)

A highly convergent total synthesis of the spiroacetal macrolide (+)-milbemycinβ1

SV LEY, NJ ANTHONY, A ARMSTRONG, MG BRASCA, T CLARKE, D CULSHAW, C GRECK, P GRICE, AB JONES, B LYGO, A MADIN, RN SHEPPARD, AMZ SLAWIN, DJ WILLIAMS

– Tetrahedron

(1989)

45,

7161