The title compound, the 4-phenyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one (4) with chemical formula: (C16H12F3NO), was synthesized from N-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]cinnamamide (3), chemical formula: (C16H12F3NO), through an intramolecular cyclization mediated by triflic acid. Preliminary molecular characterization of both compounds was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H, 13C); crystallographic characterization was completed by X-ray diffraction of polycrystalline samples. The title compound 4 crystallized in a monoclinic system and unit-cell parameters are reported [a = 16.002 (3), b = 5.170 (1), c = 17.733 (3) Å, β = 111.11 (2)°, unit-cell volume V = 1368.5 (3) Å3, Z = 4] P21/c (No. 14) space group; the title compound 3 crystallized in a monoclinic system and unit-cell parameters are reported [a = 12.902 (2), b = 5.144 (1), c = 20.513 (5) Å, β = 91.67 (2)°, unit-cell volume V = 1360.7 (4) Å3, Z = 4] P21/c (No. 14) space group.