Into a 100-mL round-bottom flask, was placed a solution of ethyl (2E)-3-[3-(benzyloxy)-2,4-difluorophenyl]-2-methylprop-2-enoate and ethyl (2E)-3-[4-(benzyloxy)-3,5-difluorophenyl]-2-methylprop-2-enoate (4 g, 12.04 mmol, 1.00 equiv) in EtOAc (50 ml) and palladium carbon (2.5 g). Into the resulting mixture was then introduced H2(g). The resulting solution was stirred overnight at 25° C. The solids were filtered out and the resulting mixture was concentrated under vacuum. The resulting residue was applied onto a silica gel column with ethyl acetate/petroleum ether (1:4) to yield ethyl 3-(3,5-difluoro-4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanoate and ethyl 3-(3-(benzyloxy)-2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-methylpropanoate as colorless oil.
