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

Removal of 1,3-dithiolan protecting groups by benzeneseleninic anhydride
DHR Barton, NJ Cussans, SV Ley
Chemical Communications
(1977)
Reaction of tetracycline hydrochloride with N -chlorosuccinimide: X -ray crystal structure of the major product
DHR Barton, SV Ley, K Meguro, DJ Williams
Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications
(1977)
Preparation of phenylselenoimines from phenols using diphenylseleninic anhydride and hexamethyldisilazane
DHR Barton, AG Brewster, SV Ley, MN Rosenfeld
Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications
(1977)
Mechanism of the thermal decomposition of tetra-aryltellurium species
DHR Barton, SA Glover, SV Ley
Chemical Communications
(1977)
X -Ray evidence for partial bonding between sulphur or selenium and oxygen in thio- and seleno-imines
A Atkinson, AG Brewster, SV Ley, RS Osborn, D Rogers, DJ Williams, KA Woode
Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications
(1977)
Regeneration of ketones from hydrazones, oximes, and semicarbazones by benzeneseleninic anhydride
DHR Barton, DJ Lester, SV Ley
Chemical Communications
(1977)
EXPERIMENTS ON SYNTHESIS OF TETRACYCLINE .15. OXIDATION OF PHENOLS AND RING-A MODEL PHENOLS TO O-HYDROXY-DIENONES WITH BENZENE-SELENINIC ANHYDRIDE
DH Barton, SV Ley, PD Magnus, MN Rosenfeld
Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1
(1977)
ELECTROPHILIC FLUORINATION OF ACTIVATED OLEFINS - SYNTHESIS OF 6-FLUORO-CORTICOSTEROIDS
DHR BARTON, LJ DANKS, RH HESSE, MM PECHET, C WILSHIRE
NOUVEAU JOURNAL DE CHIMIE-NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(1977)
1
Oxidation of phenols to ortho-quinones using diphenylseleninic anhydride
DHR Barton, AG Brewster, SV Ley, MN Rosenfeld
Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications
(1976)
The stability of NN -dialkylthiohydroxylamines
DHR Barton, SV Ley, PD Magnus
Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications
(1975)

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address