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

Dehydrogenation of steroidal ketones using benzeneseleninic anhydride
DHR Barton, DJ Lester, SV Ley
Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications
(1978)
The formation of unusual sultones during the rearrangement reactions of bicyclic ketones
DS Brown, H Heaney, SV Ley, KG Mason, P Singh
Tetrahedron Letters
(1978)
19
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)
Mechanism of the thermal decomposition of tetra-aryltellurium species
DHR Barton, SA Glover, SV Ley
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
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)
REMOVAL OF 1,3-DITHIOLAN PROTECTING GROUPS BY BENZENESELENINIC ANHYDRIDE
DHR Barton, NJ Cussans, SV Ley
Chemical Communications
(1977)
Formation of lactones from dienes via iron carbonyl complexes
GDA Nnis, SV Ley
Chemical Communications
(1977)
Regeneration of ketones from hydrazones, oximes, and semicarbazones by benzeneseleninic anhydride
DHR Barton, DJ Lester, SV Ley
Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications
(1977)
Experiments on the synthesis of tetracycline. Part 15. Oxidation of phenols and ring A model phenols to o-hydroxy-dienones with benzeneseleninic anhydride
DH Barton, SV Ley, PD Magnus, MN Rosenfeld
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1977)

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address