3-benzothiazole reacts with anilines to form the corresponding trifluoromethyl-substituted alcohols. The reaction regioselectivity (ortho/para) was shown to depend strongly on the structure of the aniline. meta-Substituted anilines tend to form the corresponding ortho-substituted products, in contrary to the previous literature data. anilines- Friedel-Crafts alkylation-ortho/para-substitution - trifluoromethyl