An enantiospecific total synthesis of (–)-α-kainic acid
Abstract
An enantiospecific synthesis of (–)-α-kainic acid (1) from L-aspartic acid (7) has been achieved in which the C-3 to C-4 bond is formed by a stereocontrolled enolate Claisen rearrangement [(13)→(14)] which delivers the correct geometry at the C-3 and C-4 asymmetric centres.