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

Microbial Oxidation in Synthesis: Preparation of (+)- and (-)-Pinitol from Benzene

SV LEY, F STERNFELD

– Tetrahedron

(1989)

45,

3463

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4020(01)81025-5)

TOTAL SYNTHESIS OF (+) - MILBEMYCIN BETA-1

NJ ANTHONY, A ARMSTRONG, SV LEY, A MADIN

– Tetrahedron Letters

(1989)

30,

3209

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)99203-7)

The antifeedant activity of clerodane diterpenoids from Teucrium

MSJ SIMMONDS, WM BLANEY, SV LEY, G SAVONA, M BRUNO, B RODRIGUEZ

– Phytochemistry

(1989)

28,

1069

(doi: 10.1016/0031-9422(89)80184-0)

INSECT ANTIFEEDANTS FROM AZADIRACHTA INDICA .5. CHEMICAL MODIFICATION AND STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY-RELATIONSHIPS OF AZADIRACHTIN AND SOME RELATED LIMONOIDS

SV LEY, JC ANDERSON, WM BLANEY, PS JONES, Z LIDERT, ED MORGAN, NG ROBINSON, D SANTAFIANOS, MSJ SIMMONDS, PL TOOGOOD

– Tetrahedron

(1989)

45,

5175

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4020(01)81095-4)

Use of t-butyl 4-diethylphosphono-3-oxobutanethioate for tetramic acid synthesis: Total synthesis of the plasmodial pigment fuligorubin A

SV LEY, SC SMITH, PR WOODWARD

– Tetrahedron Letters

(1988)

29,

5829

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)82204-2)

Microbial oxidation in synthesis: Preparation from benzene of the cellular secondary messenger myo-inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP₃) and related derivatives

SV LEY, F STERNFELD

– Tetrahedron Letters

(1988)

29,

5305

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)80744-3)