UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

o

Rule 13d-1(b)

o

Rule 13d-1(c)

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Rule 13d-1(d)

CUSIP No. 87162T 20 6

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Safi R. Bahcall

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
United States

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
2,373,525

6.

Shared Voting Power
15,000

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
2,373,525

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
15,000

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
2,388,525

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
7.0%

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
IN

Item 1.

(a)

Name of Issuer
Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp.

(b)

Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices
45 Hartwell Avenue

Lexington, MA 02421

Item 2.

(a)

Name of Person Filing
Safi R. Bahcall

(b)

Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence
c/o Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp.

45 Hartwell Avenue

Lexington, MA 02421

(c)

Citizenship
United States

(d)

Title of Class of Securities
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share

(e)

CUSIP Number
87162T 20 6

Item 3.

If this statement is filed pursuant to §§240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

(a)

o

Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o).

(b)

o

Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).

(c)

o

Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).

(d)

o

Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8).

(e)

o

An investment adviser in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);

(f)

o

An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);

(g)

o

A parent holding company or control person in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);

(h)

o

A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);

(i)

o

A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);

(j)

o

A non-U.S. institution in accordance with § 240.13d–1(b)(1)(ii)(J);

(k)

o

Group, in accordance with § 240.13d–1(b)(1)(ii)(K). If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with
§ 240.13d–1(b)(1)(ii)(J), please specify the type of institution:____________________________

Item 4.

Ownership

Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1.

(a)

Amount beneficially owned:   

2,388,525 shares. Consists of 2,250,525 shares of common stock owned of record by and 123,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options exercisable within 60 days of December 31, 2008 held by Dr. Safi Bahcall. The amount also includes 15,000 shares owned of record by the Safi R. Bahcall Irrevocable Trust, the co-trustees of which are Dr. Bahcall and Dr. Bahcall’s mother and of which Dr. Bahcall is the beneficiary.  Dr. Bahcall disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by this trust except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein.

(b)

Percent of class:   

7.0%

(c)

Number of shares as to which the person has:

(i)

Sole power to vote or to direct the vote   

2,373,525, including 123,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options

(ii)

Shared power to vote or to direct the vote    

15,000

(iii)

Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of   

2,373,525, including 123,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options

(iv)

Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of   

15,000

Item 5.

Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following   o.

Not applicable.

Item 6.

Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person

Not applicable.

Item 7.

Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company or Control Person

Not applicable.

Item 8.

Identification and Classification of Members of the Group

Not applicable.

Item 9.

Notice of Dissolution of Group

Not applicable.

Item 10.

Certification

Not applicable.

Date:  February 13, 2009

/s/ Safi R. Bahcall

Safi R. Bahcall