Short total synthesis of (-)-kainic acid

A short total synthesis of (−)-kainic acid has been developed involving a novel diastereofacial differentiating Cu-catalyzed Michael addition–cyclization reaction, which provided access to a chiral pyrroline in a highly stereoselective manner. The chiral pyrroline was converted to (−)-kainic acid via the stereoselective 1,4-reduction of the pyrroline double bond in three steps.