Hydrochloric Acid → (E)-methyl 2-(2-((4-(1-hydroxypropyl)-2,5-dimethylphenoxy)methyl)phenyl)-3-methoxyacrylate

A solution of 0.2 g (0.56 mmol) of (E)-methyl 2-(2-((4-formyl-2,5-dimethylphenoxy)methyl)phenyl)-3-methoxyacrylate obtained in Step 1 in 15 mL of tetrahydrofuran (THF) was cooled to −78° C. and reacted with ethyl magnesium bromide (0.22 mL, 1.2 eq) at −78° C. for 2 hours. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was adjusted to pH 7 with 1N-HCl at 0° C. and concentrated in a vacuum. The residue was stirred in water (10 mL) and extracted twice with 10 mL of dichloromethane. The organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated in a vacuum. The concentrate was purified using silica gel chromatography to afford (E)-methyl 2-(2-((4-(1-hydroxypropyl)-2,5-dimethylphenoxy)methyl)phenyl)-3-methoxyacrylate as a white oil (0.17 g, yield 79%).