To produce 2,6-disubstituted benzenesulfonate useful as a synthetic intermediate for a herbicide by reacting 2-substituted benzenesulfonate with a lithium compound and further reacting the product with an electrophilic reagent.

(A) (3-, 4- or 5-substituted) 2-substituted benzenesulfonate {for example, a compound of the formula [R1 is a (cyclo)alkyl or phenyl; X is F, Cl or a group that is not reactive with a lithium compound; Y is H, F, Cl or a group in the 3, 4 or 5-position that is not reactive with a lithium compound of an alkoxy or the like]} is made to react with (B) a lithium compound (for example, lithium, methyl lithium or butyl lithium) to obtain an intermediate product, and the intermediate product is made to react with (C) an electrophilic reagent (for example, deuterium oxide, DMF or N-formylpiperidine) to obtain the objective (3-, 4- or 5-substituted) 2,6-disubstituted benzenesulfonate.