Syntheses of Fumagillin and Ovalicin

This review focuses on the synthetic strategies used for the construction of fumagillin, ovalicin, and other natural products of this family that are known angiogenesis inhibitors. These compounds are comprised of a cyclohexane framework, two epoxides, and five or six contiguous stereogenic centers. The first total syntheses of fumagillin and ovalicin were reported by Corey in 1972 and 1985, respectively. There were numerous studies directed at these natural products in the decades that followed with many reports appearing in the year 2000 or later. Despite the relatively small size of these molecules, their syntheses highlight the efficient construction of stereogenic centers in organic synthesis.