With the development of science and technology,numerous synthetic methods of 2,3,5-trimethylbenzoquinone(TMBQ),an important intermediate for the manufacture of vitamin E, have emerged. Research progress on the catalytic oxidation of 2,3,6-trimethylphenol(TMP) to TMBQ is reviewed. The catalysts used in thermal catalytic oxidation are mainly summarized. Possible mechanism of the oxidation reaction is presented. In addition,the innovative photocatalytic oxidation and liquid jet loop reactor (LJLR)’s applications in such synthesis are briefly introduced. Photocatalytic oxidation is safe,non-toxic and of great stability and low energy consumption. LJLR can intensify the heat and mass transfer between substances and can be easily operated. Considering that the domestic production of TMP is limited,we believe developing new efficient catalysts and seeking novel synthetic means have become researchers’ major tasks. There are also other promising routes to synthesize TMBQ. As reported,1,2,4-trimethylbenzene(TMB),which is of competitive price and rich in resources,can be directly oxidized to TMBQ in the presence of catalysts. This approach is very likely to be the main way to synthesize TMBQ in the near future.%2,3,5-三甲基苯醌（TMBQ）是重要的维生素E合成中间体，随着研究开发技术的不断突破，陆续出现了很多合成工艺。本文综述了催化氧化2,3,6-三甲基苯酚（TMP）制备 TMBQ 的各种方法，着重介绍了热催化氧化方法中催化剂的国内外开发情况。简要介绍了光催化氧化法在该反应中的最新研究情况、可能的反应机理和液体喷射环流反应器（LJLR）在此合成中的应用。光催化氧化法具有无毒安全、稳定性好、能耗低的特点，LJLR能强化物质间的传质传热，操作方便。由于国内TMP生产能力有限，开发新型高效的催化剂、研究开发全新合成手段已经成为目前的主要任务。其他合成TMBQ的方法也颇有前景，偏三甲苯（TMB）价格低廉、来源广泛，直接催化氧化TMB合成TMBQ已有报道，可能会成为未来合成TMBQ的主要技术。
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