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

Synthesis of (±)warburganal
SV Ley, M Mahon
Tetrahedron Letters
(1981)
22
An intramolecular Diels-Alder approach to the synthesis of the right hand half of the ionophore antibiotic X-14547A
MP Edwards, SV Ley, SG Lister
Tetrahedron Letters
(1981)
22
Diaryl telluroxides as new mild oxidising reagents
SV Ley, CA Meerholz, DHR Barton
Tetrahedron
(1981)
37
OXYGEN ATOM TRANSFER FROM IODYLBENZENE TO DIPHENYL DISELENIDE - A CONVENIENT METHOD FOR DEHYDROGENATION OF STEROIDAL 3-KETONES
DHR Barton, JW Morzycki, WB Motherwell, SV Ley
Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications
(1981)
Cyclisation reactions of alkenyl β-ketoesters involving a novel phenylseleno group migration
WP Jackson, SV Ley, JA Morton
Tetrahedron Letters
(1981)
22
Synthesis of euryfuran, valdiviolide, and confertifolin
SV Ley, M Mahon
Tetrahedron Letters
(1981)
22
A CONVENIENT PREPARATION OF 2-HALOENONES FROM ENONES USING PHENYLSELENIUM HALIDES
SV Ley, AJ Whittle
Tetrahedron Letters
(1981)
22
Preparation of lactones via tricarbonyliron-lactone complexes
GD Annis, SV Ley, CR Self, R Sivaramakrishnan
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1981)
The synthesis and Diels–Alder reactions of 2-prop-2-enylidene-1,3-dioxolan
SV Ley, WL Mitchell, TV Radhakrishnan, DHR Barton
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1981)
A new synthetic approach towards adriamycin
DHR Barton, CC Dawes, G Franceschi, M Foglio, SV Ley, PD Magnus, WL Mitchell, A Temperelli
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1980)

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address