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
Regiospecific alkylation of β-ketothioesters and use in the synthesis of acyl-tetronic acids
Tetrahedron Letters
(1983)
24
5143
The total synthesis of the clerodane diterpene insect antifeedant ajugarin I
Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications
(1983)
503
(doi: 10.1039/c39830000503)
Synthesis of polyoxygenated trans-decalins as potential insect antifeedants
Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1
(1982)
2157
(doi: 10.1039/p19820002157)
An unexpected rearrangement of 4-alkylaminoindoles
Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications
(1982)
1356
(doi: 10.1039/c39820001356)
A short syntesis of (±)-hirsutene involving the use of an organoselenium-mediated cyclization reaction
Chemical Communications
(1982)
1252
(doi: 10.1039/c39820001252)
SYNTHESIS OF (CIS-6-METHYLTETRAHYDROPYRAN-2-YL)ACETIC ACID INVOLVING THE USE OF AN ORGANOSELENIUM-MEDIATED CYCLIZATION REACTION
Chemical Communications
(1982)
1251
(doi: 10.1039/c39820001251)
The X-ray structure and absolute configuration of insect antifeedant clerodane diterpenoids from Teucrium africanum
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1982)
1005
(doi: 10.1039/p19820001005)
Thermal rearrangement reactions of tricarbonyliron lactone complexes
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1982)
1355
(doi: 10.1039/p19820001355)
Dehydrogenation of lactones using benzeneseleninic anhydride. X -Ray crystal structure of 3β-acetoxy-14α-hydroxy-17a-oxa- D -homo-5α-androst-15-en-17-one
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1982)
1919
(doi: 10.1039/p19820001919)
A PRACTICAL CATALYTIC METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF STEROIDAL 1,4-DIEN-3-ONES BY OXYGEN ATOM TRANSFER FROM IODOXYBENZENE TO DIPHENYL DISELENIDE
Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1
(1982)
1947
(doi: 10.1039/p19820001947)
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