Selective production of 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene

A method for producing 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene, comprising:

• reacting at least one of naphthalene or 2-methylnaphthalene as the feed in the liquid phase with a methylating agent selected from the group consisting of at least one, pentamethylbenzene or hexamethylbenzene at a level of from about 1 to about 10 moles of the methylating 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 (for red oil, based on the aluminum chloride content of the red oil) per mole of the feed and at a temperature in the range of from about -40.degree. C. to about 80.degree. C.