Selective production of 2,6-methylethylnaphthalene

A method for producing 2,6-methylethylnaphthalene comprising:

• reacting 2-methylnaphthalene as the feed in the liquid phase with at least one of 1,2,4-triethylbenzene, at least one tetraethylbenzene or pentaethylbenzene as the ethylating agent, at a level of from about 1 to about 10 moles of the ethylating agent per mole of the feed, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a Lewis acid or Bronsted acid alkylation catalyst or mixture thereof that is more acidic than ferric chloride and at least as acidic as ferric bromide, at a level of from about 0.01 to about 1 mole of the catalyst per mole of the feed and at a temperature in the range of from about -10.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C.