2,3,5,6-Tetrafluorobenzyl alcohol, the important intermediate of insecticide transfluthrin, was synthesized through fluorination, hydrolysis, decarboxylation, esterification and reduction. Using anhydrous DMF in fluorination step, the yield of tetrafluoro-terephthalonitrile could be improved to 70.3%, with purity of 98.3%. The hydrolysis and decarboxylation occurred in one step by addition of water, and the yield of product 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoic acid was 92.5%. 2,3,5,6-Tetrafluorobenzyl alcohol was yielded with 52.3% by reduction of methyl 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoate with NaBH₄/I₂. Total yield was 29.6%.

Key words: tetrafluorobenzyl alcohol, synthesis, reduction, tetrafluorobenzoic acid