Cyanuric chloride was allowed to react with 2.05 eq of m-xylene, in the presence of 3 eq of AlCl3 and 0.2 of resorcinol, in chlorobenzene at 5° C. for 0.5 h and then at room temperature for 3 h. The first step (conversion to 2-chloro-4,6-bis(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine) was completed in less than 16 h, with more than 98% cyanuric chloride conversion as determined by HPLC analysis. 2-chloro-4,6-bis(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine and 2,4,6-tris(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine were formed in an 86:14 ratio; no other products were detected. The reaction mixture was allowed to react with additional resorcinol at 110° C. for 1.5 h. HPLC analysis showed a product mixture of 82% 2-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-4,6-bis(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine, 14% 2,4,6-tris(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine, and 2% 2,4,6-tris(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine, with only 1.5% unreacted 2-chloro-4,6-bis(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine.
