The invention discloses a preparation method of an ambroxol hydrochloride impurity reference substance. The method comprises the following steps: firstly, dissolving ambroxol hydrochloride in an appropriate amount of dichloromethane solution, then adding a quantitative aqueous solution of sodium hydrogencarbonate for uniform stirring to obtain free ambroxol, separating, drying and concentrating the organic phase, dissolving the concentrated solution in the alcohol solution, then refluxing with excess orthoformate to obtain a crude product of (1R, 4R)-4-(6,8-dibromo-3,4-dihydroquinazoline)-cyclohexanol after condensation, and obtaining a pure product after the crude product is purified by silica gel column chromatography. The invention has the creative application of orthoformate as a condensing agent. Compared with other condensing agents reported in the literature, the orthoformate has the advantages such as good stability, high safety, low cost, high product yield and easy purification.