2-Cyano-3-neopentyloxyaniline (I) was diazotized with NaNO2/HCl and then reduced with SnCl2 to give hydrazine (II). The required pyrazole system (IV) was then obtained by condensation of hydrazine (II) with ethyl 2-cyano-3-ethoxyacrylate (III). Deamination of (IV) was achieved by diazotization of the amino group by means of isoamyl nitrite, with concomitant decomposition of the diazonium salt in refluxing THF to yield (V). Finally, saponification of the ethyl ester group of (V) provided the title carboxylic acid.