The efficient total syntheses of (+)-methoxyphenylkainic acid (3) and (+)-phenylkainic acid (4) were achieved using a rhodium carbenoid-mediated intermolecular C-H insertion reaction. Complete stereoselective construction of the kainoid skeleton was accomplished by utilizing the stereochemistry at the C-4 position as a pivotal stereogenic center.

Tellurobenzaldehydes bearing an electron‐withdrawing substituent were generated by way of SnCl4‐induced unsymmetrical cleavage of bis(N,N‐dialkylcarbamoyltelluro)arylmethanes, and were trapped using 2,3‐dimethyl‐1,3‐butadiene.

SnCl 4 -Induced Unsymmetrical Cleavage of Bis(N,N-diethylcarbamoyltelluro)arylmethanes: Generation of Tellurobenzaldehydes. -(SHIMADA*, K.; HIGASHI, T.; GONG, Y.; AOYAGI, S.; TAKIKAWA, Y.; OGAWA, S.; Heteroat. Chem. 24 (2013) 6, 482-489, http://dx.