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

Preparation of Butane-1,2-diacetal-protected l-Glyceraldehyde from d-Mannitol
S Ley, P Michel
Synthesis
(2003)
2004
Synthesis of the C-1-C-28 ABCD unit of spongistatin 1
MJ Gaunt, AS Jessiman, P Orsini, HR Tanner, DF Hook, SV Ley
Org Lett
(2003)
5
A Practical and Efficient Synthesis of the C-16−C-28 Spiroketal Fragment (CD) of the Spongistatins
MJ Gaunt, DF Hook, HR Tanner, SV Ley
Org Lett
(2003)
5
Modern synthetic methods for copper-mediated C(aryl)-O, C(aryl)-N, and C(aryl)-S bond formation
SV Ley, AW Thomas
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
(2003)
42
Recyclable Polyurea-Microencapsulated Pd(0) Nanoparticles: An Efficient Catalyst for Hydrogenolysis of Epoxides
SV Ley, C Mitchell, D Pears, C Ramarao, J-Q Yu, W Zhou
Org Lett
(2003)
5
Palladium-containing perovskites: Recoverable and reuseable catalysts for Suzuki couplings
MD Smith, AF Stepan, C Ramarao, PE Brennan, SV Ley
Chem Commun (Camb)
(2003)
9
A convenient route to enantiomerically pure 2-substituted methyl glycerate derivatives
SV Ley, P Michel, C Trapella
Organic letters
(2003)
5
A sequential tetra-n-propylammonium perruthenate (TPAP)–Wittig oxidation olefination protocol
RN MacCoss, EP Balskus, SV Ley
Tetrahedron Letters
(2003)
44
Total synthesis of the polyenoyltetramic acid polycephalin C
DA Longbottom, AJ Morrison, DJ Dixon, SV Ley
Tetrahedron
(2003)
59
Synthesis, Chiroptical Properties, and Absolute Configuration of (+)-2,3-Dihydrotriquinacen-2-one. Effect of Rigid Triquinacene Geometry on the Inherently Dissymmetric Chromophore
L Paquette, W Farnham, S Ley
Journal of the American Chemical Society
(2003)
97

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address