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

Enantioselective Catalytic Intramolecular Cyclopropanation using Modified Cinchona Alkaloid Organocatalysts
CCC Johansson, N Bremeyer, SV Ley, DR Owen, SC Smith, MJ Gaunt
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
(2006)
45
8,9,10,10a-tetrahydro-6H-tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrrolo[2,1-c]pyrazines: New heterocyclic frameworks generated by an Ugi-type multicomponent reaction
S Ley, V Franckevičius, D Longbottom, R Turner
Synthesis
(2006)
2006
Hydrogenation of aromatic ketones, aldehydes, and epoxides with hydrogen and Pd(0)EnCat 30NP.
SV Ley, AJP Stewart-Liddon, D Pears, RH Perni, K Treacher
Beilstein journal of organic chemistry
(2006)
2
A highly selective, organocatalytic route to chiral 1,2-oxazines from ketones
S Kumarn, DM Shaw, SV Ley
Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
(2006)
Natural Products as an Inspiration for the Discovery of New High-Throughput Chemical Synthesis Tools
SV Ley, IR Baxendale, DA Longbottom, RM Myers
(2006)
2
Microwave-assisted Suzuki coupling reactions with an encapsulated palladium catalyst for batch and continuous-flow transformations.
IR Baxendale, CM Griffiths-Jones, SV Ley, GK Tranmer
Chemistry – A European Journal
(2006)
12
The Use of Polymer Supported Reagents and Scavengers in the Synthesis of Natural Products
SV Ley, IR Baxendale, RM Myers
(2006)
EFFECT OF AZADIRACHTIN-DERIVED DECALIN (PERHYDRONAPHTHALENE) AND DIHYDROFURANACETAL (FURO[2,3-B]PYRAN) FRAGMENTS ON THE FEEDING-BEHAVIOR OF SPODOPTERA-LITTORALIS
WM Blaney, MSJ Simmonds, SV Ley, JC Anderson, SC Smith, A Wood
Pesticide Science
(2006)
40
Microwave flow chemistry: The next evolutionary step in synthetic chemistry?
IR Baxendale, MR Pitts
Chimica Oggi
(2006)
24
Progress towards avermectins and milbemycins
SV Ley
Pest Management Science
(2006)
18

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address