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
Identification of Azadirachtin in Tissue-Cultured Cells of Neem (Azadirachta Indica)
Natural Product Research
(1997)
10
95
(doi: 10.1080/10575639708043721)
A General C-Glycosidation Procedure via Anomeric Oxygen to Carbon Rearrangements of Tetrahydropyranyl Ether Derivatives
Synlett
(1997)
1997
1055
(doi: 10.1055/s-1997-1531)
One-Pot Synthesis of Tetra- and Pentasaccharides from Monomeric Building Blocks Using the Principles of Orthogonality and Reactivity Tuning
Synlett
(1997)
1997
257
(doi: 10.1055/s-1997-765)
Direct protection of 1,2-diols from alpha-diketones (pg 793, 1996)
SYNLETT
(1996)
932
Dispiroketals in synthesis .22. Use of chiral 2,2'-bis(phenylthiomethyl)dihydropyrans as new protecting and resolving agents for 1,2-diols (pg 791, 1996)
SYNLETT
(1996)
932
Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica (part 21): Synthesis of model compounds of azadirachtin using a decalin framework as a functional group scaffolding
Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1
(1996)
1523
(doi: 10.1039/p19960001523)
Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica .20. Synthesis of biologically active, simple analogues of azadirachtin, containing the hydroxytetrahydrofurancarboxylate hemiketal moiety
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1996)
1517
(doi: 10.1039/p19960001517)
(pi-Allyl)tricarbonyliron Lactone Complexes in Organic Synthesis: A Useful and Conceptually Unusual Route to Lactones and Lactams.
Chemical Reviews
(1996)
96
423
(doi: 10.1021/cr950015t)
Synthetic studies towards the clerodane insect antifeedant jodrellin A: Preparation of a polycyclic model compound with antifeedant activity
J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1
(1996)
611
(doi: 10.1039/p19960000611)
Autoradiographic localization of [22,23-(3)H(2)] dihydroazadirachtin binding sites in desert locust testes and effects of Azadirachtin on sperm motility.
Tissue & cell
(1996)
28
725
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