Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry

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 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

Metal-free coupling of saturated heterocyclic sulfonylhydrazones with boronic acids
DM Allwood, DC Blakemore, AD Brown, SV Ley
The Journal of organic chemistry
(2013)
79
(doi: 10.1021/jo402526z)
Fragment-based hit identification: Thinking in 3D
AD Morley, A Pugliese, K Birchall, J Bower, P Brennan, N Brown, T Chapman, M Drysdale, IH Gilbert, S Hoelder, A Jordan, SV Ley, A Merritt, D Miller, ME Swarbrick, PG Wyatt
Drug Discovery Today
(2013)
18
(doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2013.07.011)
Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of a novel allosteric inhibitor of HSET that damages cancer cells with supernumerary centrosomes.
CA Watts, FM Richards, A Bender, PJ Bond, O Korb, O Kern, M Riddick, P Owen, RM Myers, J Raff, F Gergely, DI Jodrell, SV Ley
Molecular Cancer Therapeutics
(2013)
12
(doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.targ-13-b96)
An overview of the synthetic routes to the best selling drugs containing 6-membered heterocycles.
M Baumann, IR Baxendale
Beilstein journal of organic chemistry
(2013)
9
(doi: 10.3762/bjoc.9.265)
Sustainable flow oppenauer oxidation of secondary benzylic alcohols with a heterogeneous zirconia catalyst
R Chorghade, C Battilocchio, JM Hawkins, SV Ley
Org Lett
(2013)
15
(doi: 10.1021/ol4027107)
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of an Allosteric Inhibitor of HSET that Targets Cancer Cells with Supernumerary Centrosomes
CA Watts, FM Richards, A Bender, PJ Bond, O Korb, O Kern, M Riddick, P Owen, RM Myers, J Raff, F Gergely, DI Jodrell, SV Ley
Chemistry & Biology
(2013)
20
(doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.09.012)
Flow‐Based, Cerium Oxide Enhanced, Low‐Level Palladium Sonogashira and Heck Coupling Reactions by Perovskite Catalysts
C Battilocchio, BN Bhawal, R Chorghade, BJ Deadman, JM Hawkins, SV Ley
Israel Journal of Chemistry
(2013)
54
(doi: 10.1002/ijch.201300049)
Continuous flow-processing of organometallic reagents using an advanced peristaltic pumping system and the telescoped flow synthesis of (E/Z)-tamoxifen
PRD Murray, DL Browne, JC Pastre, C Butters, D Guthrie, SV Ley
Organic Process Research and Development
(2013)
17
(doi: 10.1021/op4001548)
The application of a monolithic triphenylphosphine reagent for conducting Ramirez gem-dibromoolefination reactions in flow.
KA Roper, MB Berry, SV Ley
Beilstein J Org Chem
(2013)
9
(doi: 10.3762/bjoc.9.207)
Flow chemistry syntheses of natural products
JC Pastre, DL Browne, SV Ley
Chemical Society reviews
(2013)
42
(doi: 10.1039/c3cs60246j)

Research Group

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Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address

svl1000@cam.ac.uk

College

Trinity College
Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry
Lensfield Road
Cambridge
CB2 1EW
T: +44 (0) 1223 336300
enquiries@ch.cam.ac.uk
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