Optically pure mitomycin C was synthesized in 28 steps and 5% overall yield from 2,6-dimethoxytoluene. The route followed was a variation upon previous work in our laboratories and the asymmetry was achieved by the resolution of racemic mitomycin A, an advanced intermediate. Our efforts at finding a new route to an intermediate in the synthesis of FR900482, are also described here. The key step was the cyclization of an epoxy-acetamide under basic conditions to form an eight-membered lactam.