diethylamine this reaction is typically conducted in a reaction inert solvent such as n methylpyrrolidinone or dimethyl formamide at a temperature from about room temperature to about 150 u00b0 c preferably at about 90 u00b0 c then the resulting ester is hydrolyzed using an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate or an alkali metal hydroxide preferably an alkali metal hydroxide such as lithium hydroxide in water a mixture of water an alcohol containing one to four carbons and or an ethereal solvent such as tetrahydrofuran to form the corresponding carboxylic acid of formula 1 the hydrolysis reaction can be carried out in situ or after isolating the ester from the alkylation reaction in either case the hydrolysis is carried out using the same or similar solvent as that used in the alkylation reaction and is carried out under the same or similar conditions scheme ii illustrates methods of preparing compounds of the formula i wherein ring a is in the 3 or meta position methods analogous to these can be used to prepare compounds of the formula i wherein ring a is other than phenyl such methods will be understood by those of skill in the art referring to scheme ii 3 benzyloxyphenol is reacted with an aryl boronic acid using cupric acetate cupric trifluoroacetate or a related copper salt a base such as pyridine triethylamine or an organic amine base and dimethylsulfoxide or methylene chloride as solvent under an oxygen atmosphere at room temperature to 100 u00b0 c for 12 to 100 hours to afford intermediate vii compound vii is then reacted to intermediate viii by treating it with ammonium formate and palladium in ethanol or a higher alcohol the reaction may also be carried out using palladium under a hydrogen atmosphere or using boron.