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
The X-ray structure and absolute configuration of insect antifeedant clerodane diterpenoids from Teucrium africanum
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1982)
1005
(doi: 10.1039/p19820001005)
Thermal rearrangement reactions of tricarbonyliron lactone complexes
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1982)
1355
(doi: 10.1039/p19820001355)
Oxidation of benzylic hydrocarbons with benzeneseleninic anhydride and related reactions
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1982)
2179
(doi: 10.1039/p19820002179)
Synthesis of polyoxygenated trans-decalins as potential insect antifeedants
Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1
(1982)
2157
(doi: 10.1039/p19820002157)
A conformational study of elaiophylin by X-ray crystallography and difference 1H NMR methods; observation of a selective sign reversal of the nuclear overhauser effect
Tetrahedron Letters
(1982)
23
1207
SYNTHESIS OF METHYL-1,6-DIOXASPIRO[4,5]DECANES USING ORGANOSELENIUM MEDIATED CYCLIZATION REACTIONS
Tetrahedron Letters
(1982)
23
4625
A short syntesis of (±)-hirsutene involving the use of an organoselenium-mediated cyclization reaction
Chemical Communications
(1982)
1252
(doi: 10.1039/c39820001252)
A PRACTICAL CATALYTIC METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF STEROIDAL 1,4-DIEN-3-ONES BY OXYGEN ATOM TRANSFER FROM IODOXYBENZENE TO DIPHENYL DISELENIDE
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1982)
1947
(doi: 10.1039/p19820001947)
Dehydrogenation of lactones using benzeneseleninic anhydride. X -Ray crystal structure of 3β-acetoxy-14α-hydroxy-17a-oxa- D -homo-5α-androst-15-en-17-one
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1982)
1919
(doi: 10.1039/p19820001919)
SYNTHESIS OF (CIS-6-METHYLTETRAHYDROPYRAN-2-YL)ACETIC ACID INVOLVING THE USE OF AN ORGANOSELENIUM-MEDIATED CYCLIZATION REACTION
Chemical Communications
(1982)
1251
(doi: 10.1039/c39820001251)
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