Reaction of 1-phenyl-1,3-butadiene with catecholborane in the presence of a rhodium catalyst bearing triarylphosphine ligand such as PPh3 or dppf proceeded regioselectively to give, after oxidation, anti-1-phenyl-1,3-butanediol in a good yield. Use of (R)-BINAP as a chiral ligand for the catalytic hydroboration gave optically active (1S,3R)-1-phenyl-1,3-butanediol of up to 67% ee.