A mixture of ethyl(E)-3-[1-(3,5-dibenzyloxybenzyl)-4-phenyl-3-pyrrolyl]propenoate (19.0 g), 5% palladium-carbon (40.0 g), ethanol (200 ml), and tetrahydrofuran (200 ml) was stirred for 4 hours at room temperature under a hydrogen atmosphere. After the palladium-carbon was removed by filtration, the filtrate was concentrated. The residue was subjected to silica gel column chromatography, and ethyl 3-[1-(3,5-dihydroxybenzyl)-4-phenyl-3-pyrrolyl]propionate (12.10 g, yield: 95%) was obtained as an oily substance from the fraction eluted with ethyl acetate-hexane (3:2, volume ratio).
