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
Chemical synthesis of the N-glycans of gp63, the major surface glycoprotein from Leishmania mexicana amazonensis
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1999)
375
(doi: 10.1039/a809798d)
Polymer-supported hypervalent iodine reagents in ‘clean’ organic synthesis with potential application in combinatorial chemistry
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1999)
669
(doi: 10.1039/a809799b)
Total synthesis of the polyenoyltetramic acid mycotoxin erythroskyrine†
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1999)
839
(doi: 10.1039/a809823i)
Dispiroketals in synthesis. Part 24. Preparation and use of chiral 2,2 '-bis(triisopropylsilyloxymethyl)bi(dihydropyran)s as new protecting and resolving agents for 1,2-diols
J CHEM SOC PERK T 1
(1999)
1639
(doi: 10.1039/a900950g)
Dispiroketals in synthesis. Part 25.1 Further reactions of dispiroketal protected glycolate to afford optically active 1,2,3,4-tetraols
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1999)
1647
(doi: 10.1039/a900951e)
Synthesis of the alkaloids (±)-oxomaritidine and (±)-epimaritidine using an orchestrated multi-step sequence of polymer supported reagents
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1999)
1251
(doi: 10.1039/a901798d)
Synthesis of the potent analgesic compound (±)-epibatidine using an orchestrated multi-step sequence of polymer supported reagents
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1999)
1253
(doi: 10.1039/a901802f)
A general and efficient procedure for the preparation of enantiopure anti-1,2-diols -: synthesis and utility of (R′,R′,S,R)-2,3-butane diacetal protected butane tetrol
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1999)
1635
(doi: 10.1039/a902732g)
Preparation of desymmetrised meso-tartrate derivatives -: synthesis and utility of (R′,R′,R,S)-2,3-butane diacetal protected dimethyl tartrate
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1999)
1631
(doi: 10.1039/a902733e)
New building blocks for efficient and highly diastereoselective polyol production-synthesis and utility of (R',R',S,S) and (S",S",R,R)-2,3-butane diacetal protected butane tetrol derivatives
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1999)
1627
(doi: 10.1039/a902734c)
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