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
Oxidation of phenols to ortho-quinones using diphenylseleninic anhydride
Journal of the Chemical Society Chemical Communications
(1976)
985
(doi: 10.1039/C39760000985)
The stability of NN-dialkylthiohydroxylamines
Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications
(1975)
855
(doi: 10.1039/C39750000855)
Aryne chemistry. Part XXXIV. Reactions of NN-dimethylarylamines with tetrahalogenobenzynes
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1974)
2688
(doi: 10.1039/P19740002688)
Rearrangement reactions of bicyclic systems. Part II. Rearrangements of 1-dimethylamino-5,6,7,8-tetrahalogeno-1,4-dihydro-1,4-ethenonaphthalene derivatives and the analogous 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,4-dihydro-N-methyl-1,4-iminonaphthalene in aqueous solutions
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1974)
2698
(doi: 10.1039/P19740002698)
REARRANGEMENT REACTIONS OF BICYCLIC SYSTEMS .3. ACID-CATALYZED REARRANGEMENTS OF 1,4-DIHYDRO-1-METHOXY-1,4-ETHENONAPHTHALENE (1-METHOXYBENZOBARRELENE) AND ITS 5,6,7,8-TETRAHALOGENO-DERIVATIVES
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1974)
2702
(doi: 10.1039/P19740002702)
Rearrangement Reactions of Bicyclic Systems. Part IV. Acid-catalysed Rearrangements of 5,6,7,8-Tetrafluoro-1,4-dihydro-1-methoxy-3,9-dimethyl-l,4-ethenonaphthalene (1-methoxy-3,5-dimethyltetrafluoro benzobarrelene)
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1974)
2711
(doi: 10.1039/P19740002711)
Aryne chemistry. Part XXXV. Reactions of arynes with 1-amino-cycloalkenes and hydrolyses of the adducts
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1974)
2693
(doi: 10.1039/p19740002693)
ARYNE CHEMISTRY .33. REACTIONS OF TETRAHALOGENOBENZYNES WITH METHOXYARENES AND PHOTOLYSIS AND THERMOLYSIS OF SOME OF PRODUCTS
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1974)
2681
(doi: 10.1039/p19740002681)
Rearrangement reactions of bicyclic systems. Part I. Synthesis of a model compound related to flavothebaone trimethyl ether. The abnormal ultraviolet absorption spectrum of flavothebaone and its trimethyl ether
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1973)
1840
(doi: 10.1039/p19730001840)
Mećhanistic dichotomy in cycloadditions to cyclooctatetraeneiron tricarbonyl. X-ray crystal structure analysis of the TCNE and CSI adducts
Tetrahedron Letters
(1973)
14
2943
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