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

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
Organic Letters
(2003)
5
Palladium-containing perovskites: recoverable and reuseable catalysts for Suzuki couplings.
MD Smith, AF Stepan, C Ramarao, PE Brennan, SV Ley
Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
(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 INHERENTLY DISSYMMETRIC CHROMOPHORE
L Paquette, W Farnham, S Ley
Journal of the American Chemical Society
(2003)
97
Synthesis of carbohydrate derivatives using solid-phase work-up and scavenging techniques
RN MacCoss, PE Brennan, SV Ley
Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
(2003)
1
A total synthesis of epothilones using solid-supported reagents and scavengers.
RI Storer, T Takemoto, PS Jackson, SV Ley
Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
(2003)
42

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address