Professor Steve Ley CBE FRS FMedSci

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 last 10 years we have completed the total synthesis of 28 natural products including spongistatin 1 (anti-mitotic agent), rapamycin (immunosuppressant), thapsigargin (SERCA pumps inhibitor), azadirachtin (insect antifeedant) and bengazole A (fungicide), taking our group total to 150 completed total syntheses. In addition to our research on natural product synthesis, we also have a new state-of-the-art flow chemistry facility.

For more detailed research information, group members and our publication list please see the group website.

Publications

Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica (Part 17): Synthesis of model compounds of azadirachtin. Unusual effect of remote substituents on the course of the oxidative ring contraction reaction.

RB GROSSMAN, SV LEY

– Tetrahedron

(1994)

50,

11553

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4020(01)89292-9)

SELECTIVE ACYLATION AND ALKYLATION REACTIONS OF DIOLS USING DIBUTYLTIN DIMETHOXIDE (PG 913, 1993)

CJ BOONS, GH CASTLE, JA CLASE, P GRICE, SV LEY, C PINEL

– SYNLETT

(1994)

764

(link to publication)

Chemistry of insect antifeedants from Azadirachta indica (Part 16): Synthesis of several derivatives of azadirachtin containing fluorescent or immunogenic reporter groups

RB GROSSMAN, SV LEY

– Tetrahedron

(1994)

50,

8871

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4020(01)85360-6)

Sexual development of malaria parasites is inhibited in vitro by the Neem extract Azadirachtin, and its semi-synthetic analogues

I Jones

– FEMS Microbiology Letters

(1994)

120,

267

(doi: 10.1016/0378-1097(94)90482-0)

Model studies towards the insect antifeedant Jodrellin A using an organoselenium mediated cyclization reaction

WM BLANEY, AC CUNAT, SV LEY, FJ MONTGOMERY, MSJ SIMMONDS

– Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35,

4861

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)76988-7)

DISPIROKETALS IN SYNTHESIS .10 - FURTHER REACTIONS OF DISPOKE PROTECTED LACTATE AND GLYCOLATE ENOLATES

GJ BOONS, R DOWNHAM, KS KIM, SV LEY, M WOODS

– Tetrahedron

(1994)

50,

7157

(doi: 10.1016/S0040-4020(01)85241-8)

Studies towards the total synthesis of rapamycin: Preparation of the cyclohexyl C33C42 fragment and further coupling to afford the C22C42 carbon unit

C KOUKLOVSKY, SV LEY, SP MARSDEN

– Tetrahedron Letters

(1994)

35,

2091

(doi: 10.1016/s0040-4039(00)73058-9)