Cinnamic acids are widely distributed in plants, including crops for human use, and exhibit a variety of activities that are beneficial to human health. They also occupy a pivotal position in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids such as lignins, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and coumarins. In this context, deuteriumâlabeled cinnamic acids have been used as tracers and internal standards in food and medicinal chemistry as well as plant biochemistry. Therefore, a concise synthesis of deuteriumâlabeled cinnamic acids would be highly desirable. In this study, we synthesized deuteriumâlabeled cinnamic acids using readily available deuterium sources. We also investigated a hydrogenâdeuterium exchange reaction in an ethanolâd1/Et3N system. This method can introduce deuterium atoms at the ortho and para positions of the phenolic hydroxy groups as well as at the Câ2 position of alkyl cinnamates and is applicable to various phenolic compounds. Using the synthesized labeled compounds, we demonstrated that the benzenoid volatiles, such as 4âmethoxybenzaldehyde, in the scent of the flowers of the Japanese loquat Eriobotrya japonica are biosynthesized from phenylalanine via cinnamic and 4âcoumaric acids. This study provides easy access to a variety of deuteriumâlabeled (poly)phenols, as well as to useful tools for studies of the metabolism of cinnamic acids in living systems.