This article describes a facile synthesis of ethyl 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,3,3-trifluoropropionate from ethyl trifluoropyruvate. Reaction of phenol with ethyl trifluoropyruvate was carried out in the presence of a catalytic amount of anhydrous potassium carbonate, and wentsmoothly at room temperature to afford ethyl 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-hydroxy-3,3,3-trifluoropropionate (2) in high yield. Compound 2 was then converted into ethyl 2-chloro-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,3,3-trifluoropropionate (6) in good yield by selective chlorination with thionyl chloride and pyridine. Subsequent reduction of compound 6 with sodium borohydride was done in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature, yielding ethyl 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,3,3-trifluoropropionate in excellent yield.

Key words: ethyl trifluoropyruvate, phenol, ethyl 2-aryl-3,3,3-trifluoropropionate, synthesis