Method for synthesizing 6-chloro-2-methoxytoluene

The invention discloses a method for synthesizing 6-chloro-2-methoxytoluene. The method comprises the following steps: dissolving 2,6-dichlorotoluene in an aprotic polar solvent, dripping sodium methylate for reacting, maintaining the temperature to be 40-170 DEG C after dripping completion, and performing a reaction for 2-20 hours; reducing the temperature to be 20-120 DEG C after temperature maintaining is completed; adding a phase transfer catalyst into the reaction solution, introducing a chloromethane gas for reacting until the mass fraction of 6-chloro-2-hydroxy methylbenzene in the reaction solution is less than 1%, and maintaining the temperature and performing a reaction for 0.1-2 hours; performing cooling to room temperature after the reaction; and recovering the aprotic polar solvent under negative pressure, performing after-treatment, thereby obtaining the 6-chloro-2-methoxytoluene. According to the method, the 6-chloro-2-methoxytoluene is synthesized by chloromethane, the reaction speed of the chloromethane is improved by using a small amount of catalysts in the method, and the chloromethane can serve as a methylation reagent under normal pressure; and moreover, the yield of the 6-chloro-2-methoxytoluene is greater than 93%, and the method disclosed by the invention is easy to operate, low in cost and slight in environmental hazards.