The invention discloses a method for synthesizing an
astaxanthin intermediate by utilizing 2, 6, 6-trimethyl-3, 4-dihydroxy-2-
cyclohexene-1-one. The method comprises the following steps of: dispersing the 2, 6, 6-trimethyl-3, 4-dihydroxy-2-
cyclohexene-1-one in a non-polar
solvent, adding an acid catalyst, dripping
enol ether at
room temperature for reaction, adding
tertiary amine for termination reaction, then cooling, directly dissolving a reaction solution into an
ethanol water solution with a compound obtained by reaction of an alkynyl
reagent, then dripping into the
ethanol water solution dissolving an acid, adding
sodium carbonate for termination reaction after the end of dripping, performing reduced pressure
distillation and
recovery of the
solvent, adding water into residues for stratification, extracting a water phase with
dichloromethane, merging and
drying organic phases, and then concentrating so as to synthesize the
astaxanthin intermediate. The method disclosed by the invention has the advantages of high yield of products, low
isomerization of the products and the like.