Professor Steve Ley CBE FRS FMedSci | Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry

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

Continuous Flow Techniques in the Total Synthesis of Jaspine B: Part II.

M Gurský, D Trnovcová, P Lopatka, M Markovič, P Koóš, SV Ley, T Gracza

The Journal of Organic Chemistry

(2025)

90

14186

(doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.5c01799)

Straightforward, scalable, solution-phase synthesis of peptide bonds in flow.

ZE Wilson, E Lopez, NJ Flodén, C Watkins, G Bianchini, SV Ley

Journal of flow chemistry

(2025)

15

67

(doi: 10.1007/s41981-025-00347-2)

Carbonylative transformations with Pd catalysts supported on bio-degradable urea-based polymer - Part A

M Markovič, P Lopatka, P Koóš, T Soták, A Ház, T Gracza, SV Ley, M Králik

Catalysis Today

(2024)

441

114903

(doi: 10.1016/j.cattod.2024.114903)

Palladium catalysts supported on biodegradable urea-based polymers in synthesis with CO - Part B

M Markovič, P Lopatka, P Koóš, T Soták, A Ház, T Gracza, SV Ley, M Králik

Catalysis Today

(2024)

440

114831

(doi: 10.1016/j.cattod.2024.114831)

Antascomicin B stabilizes FKBP51-Akt1 complexes as a molecular glue.

SC Schäfer, AM Voll, A Bracher, SV Ley, F Hausch

Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters

(2024)

104

129728

(doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129728)

Continuous flow synthesis enabling reaction discovery

AI Alfano, J García-Lacuna, OM Griffiths, SV Ley, M Baumann

Chem Sci

(2024)

15

4618

(doi: 10.1039/d3sc06808k)

Nitro-sulfinate Reductive Coupling to Access (Hetero)aryl Sulfonamides

SE Gatarz, OM Griffiths, HA Esteves, W Jiao, P Morse, EL Fisher, DC Blakemore, SV Ley

The Journal of organic chemistry

(2024)

89

1898

(doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.3c02557)

Photoredox-Catalyzed Preparation of Sulfones Using Bis-Piperidine Sulfur Dioxide - An Underutilized Reagent for SO₂ Transfer

OM Griffiths, HA Esteves, DC Emmet, SV Ley

Chemistry - A European Journal

(2024)

30

e202303976

(doi: 10.1002/chem.202303976)

Automated multistep synthesis of 2-pyrazolines in continuous flow

SV Ley, R Labes, JC Pastre, RJ Ingham, C Battilocchio, HM Marçon, MCFCB Damião, DN Tran

Reaction Chemistry & Engineering

(2023)

9

558

(doi: 10.1039/d3re00515a)

The Evolution of Flow Chemistry: An Opinion on Factors Driving Innovation.

SL Bourne, F Amann, SV Ley

CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry

(2023)

77

288

(doi: 10.2533/chimia.2023.288)