The present invention provides a novel process for highly selective
preparation of 2,6-dialkyltetralin, a key precursor for
2,6-dimethylnaphthalene (2,6-DMN), which does not require an extra step
for purifying various isomers obtained from the conventional processes
for 2,6-DMN. The present invention is advantageous to improve the
synthetic yield, to simplify the operation and thus to reduce the
production cost, since different starting materials and different
pathways are exploited and thus the additional steps are not necessary.