We report herein the synthesis of substituted 2-(6-nitrobenzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-1- aryl ethanols and 2-(6-nitrobenzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-propionic acid ethyl esters from the reaction of 5-chloromethyl-6-nitrobenzo[1,3]dioxole with various aromatic carbonyl and alpha- carbonyl ester derivatives using the tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene (TDAE) methodology.