ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt, dʒˈɑːn kˈɑːɹbən, wˈɪljəm mˈɑːɹtɪn, ænd lˈiːoʊ swˈɛt wɜː ðə fˈɜːst tə sˈɪnθəsˌaɪz hˌaɪpoʊɡlˈaɪsɪn ˈeɪ, ɪn ɹɐsˈiːmɪk fˈɔːɹm, stˈɑːɹɾɪŋ fɹʌm tˈuːbɹˈɑːməpɹˌɑːpiːn ænd ˈɛθəl dˈaɪəzˌoʊsɪtˌeɪt tə fˈɔːɹm ðə sˌaɪkləpɹˈoʊpeɪn ɹˈɪŋ.
In 1958, John Carbon, William Martin, and Leo Swett were the first to synthesize hypoglycin A, in racemic form, starting from 2-bromopropene and ethyl diazoacetate to form the cyclopropane ring.