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
An x-ray crystallographic, mass spectroscopic, and NMR study of the limonoid insect antifeedant azadirachtin and related derivatives
Tetrahedron
(1987)
43
2805
Synthesis of a hydroxy dihydrofuran acetal related to azadirachtin: A potent insect antifeedant
Tetrahedron Letters
(1987)
28
221
Synthesis of a hydroxy dihydrofuran acetal related to azadirachtin: A potent insect antifeedant
Tetrahedron Letters
(1987)
28
1595
PREPARATION OF TERT-BUTYL 4-DIETHYLPHOSPHONO-3-OXOBUTANETHIOATE AND USE IN THE SYNTHESIS OF (E)-4-ALKENYL-3-OXOESTERS AND MACROLIDES
Tetrahedron Letters
(1987)
28
345
Application of ultrasound to the preparation of tricarbonyliron diene complexes
Journal of Organometallic Chemistry
(1986)
302
C13
(doi: 10.1016/0022-328x(86)80072-9)
Alkylation reactions of anions derived from 2-benzenesulphonyl tetrahydropyran and their application to spiroketal syntiesis
Tetrahedron
(1986)
42
4333
The synthesis of trisubstituted tetrahydrofurans via the use of an organoselenium-mediated cyclisation reaction
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1986)
303
(doi: 10.1039/p19860000303)
X -Ray crystallographic structure determination of detigloyldihydroazadirachtin and reassignment of the structure of the limonoid insect antifeedant azadirachtin
Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications
(1986)
1
46
(doi: 10.1039/c39860000046)
Ultrasonic formation and reactions of sodium phenylselenide
Tetrahedron
(1986)
42
5363
Synthetic studies towards the acyltetronic acid iohophore M 139603
Tetrahedron Letters
(1986)
27
105
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