2,6-Dichlorophenylacetic acid → 2-(2,6-Dichlorophenyl)ethanol

a suspension of lithium aluminum hydride (13.75 g, 365.75 mmol) in anhydrous diethyl ether (500 mL) was added via a powder addition funnel 2,6-dichlorophenylacetic acid (50 g, 243.75 mmol). The resulting reaction mixture was refluxed for 16 hours and then quenched by slow addition of a sodium sulfate saturated aqueous solution (25 mL). The resulting slurry was stirred for 3 hours and then filtered, the insoluble was carefully washed with diethyl ether (2×100 mL). The combined ether filtrates were dried over sodium sulfate and the solvent was evaporated in vacuo to yield 38.6 g (85% yield) of the title compound.