2-Propenoic acid, 3-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-, ethyl ester → (E)-3-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)prop-2-en-1-ol

(E)-Ethyl 3-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)acrylate (25.00 g, 102 mmol) in 100 mL ether was cooled in an ice-water bath. To this solution, di-iso-butylaluminum hydride (205 mL, 205 mmol) in hexane was added. After addition, the ice-water bath was removed. After 2 hours of stirring at room temperature, the reaction mixture was diluted with 200 mL diethyl ether, cooled to 0° C. and quenched with careful addition of 200 mL brine and 200 mL of 5.0 M HCl. The aqueous solution was extracted with diethyl ether twice (200 mL each time). The combined organic phases were washed with brine and dried over sodium sulfate. The product was chromatographed eluting with 20% EtOAc in hexane. After removing the solvent, a white solid was obtained as the desired product (15.3 g, yield=74%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CD3OD) δ ppm 4.28 (dd, J=5.28, 1.57 Hz, 2H) 6.55 (dt, J=15.94, 5.23 Hz, 1H) 6.67-6.75 (m, 1H) 7.58-7.67 (m, 4H).