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

Asymmetric organocatalytic conjugate addition of malonates to enones using a proline tetrazole catalyst
KR Knudsen, CET Mitchell, SV Ley
Chemical Communications
(2005)
Defects in signal transduction caused by a T cell receptor β chain substitution
TA Reno, S Ley, E Sugiyama, A Cantagrel, R Blumberg, J Bonventre, C Terhorst, ET Yeh
Eur J Immunol
(2005)
20
Michael, Michael–aldol and Michael–Michael reactions of enolate equivalents of butane-2,3-diacetal protected glycolic acid derivatives
SV Ley, DJ Dixon, RT Guy, F Rodríguez, TD Sheppard
Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
(2005)
3
Evolution or Revolution: The Challenge to the Modern Medicinal Chemist
IR Baxendale, SV Ley
(2005)
Total synthesis of two novel subpicomolar sarco/endoplasmatic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase inhibitors designed by an analysis of the binding site of thapsigargin
H Søhoel, T Liljefors, SV Ley, SF Oliver, A Antonello, MD Smith, CE Olsen, JT Isaacs, SB Christensen
J Med Chem
(2005)
48
Synthesis of alkaloid natural products using solid-supported reagents and scavengers
I Baxendale, S Ley
Current Organic Chemistry
(2005)
9
A versatile organocatalyst for the asymmetric conjugate addition of nitroalkanes to enones.
CET Mitchell, SE Brenner, SV Ley
Chemical Communications
(2005)
Quaternary Stereocenters
P Nolan
(2005)
A highly selective, organocatalytic route to chiral dihydro-1,2-oxazines.
S Kumarn, DM Shaw, DA Longbottom, SV Ley
Organic letters
(2005)
7
Total Synthesis of Spongistatin 1: A Synthetic Strategy Exploiting Its Latent Pseudo‐Symmetry
M Ball, MJ Gaunt, DF Hook, AS Jessiman, S Kawahara, P Orsini, A Scolaro, AC Talbot, HR Tanner, S Yamanoi, SV Ley
Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
(2005)
44

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address