PURPOSE: An inexpensive and readily available mixture of α,m- and α,p-dimethylstyrene is used as a starting material to effect the reaction with hydrogen halide and the resultant product mixture is made to react with neohexane in the presence of a catalyst to produce the titled mixture used as an intermediate of perfume.

CONSTITUTION: The reaction between a mixture of α,m- and α,p-dimethylstyrene of formulaIand hydrogen halide gives a mixture of dimethyl-m- and -p-tolylcarbinyl halides of formula II. The product is made to react with neohexene in the presence of a Friedel-Craft catalyst such as aluminum chloride to give a mixture of 1,1,2,4,4,6-hexamethyltetraline of formula III and 1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyltetraline of formula IV. The compound of formula IV is scarcely produced and 1,1,2,4,4,6- hexamethyltetraline is selectively produced.