The invention relates to a synthetic method of 4-
trifluoromethyl nicotinic acid. The method is characterized by comprising the following steps: (1) in a
solvent A, enabling
methyl acrylate to react for 30-60 minutes at 25-90 DEG C under the action of a catalyst and an
oxidizing agent, with the
molar ratio of
methyl acrylate to the catalyst to the
oxidizing agent being 1:(0.01-0.05):(1-1.5), so asto prepare methyl 3-oxopropionate; (2) in a
solvent B, controlling the
mole ratio of the methyl 3-oxopropionate to 4-amino-1,1,1-trifluoro-3-buten-2-one to be (1-1.5):1, reacting at 25-90 DEG C for 30-60 min to prepare N-(2-methoxycarbonyl vinyl)-4,4,4-trifluoro-3-one-1-butenylamine, then adding an alkali, with the
mole ratio of the N-(2-methoxycarbonyl vinyl)-4,4,4-trifluoro-3-one-1-butenylamineto the alkali being 1:1-5, performing ring closing
hydrolysis at 25-90 DEG C under the action of the alkali for 30-60 min, subjecting the
reaction product to rectification separation after the reaction is finished to obtain a 4-
trifluoromethyl nicotinic acid finished product. The method has the advantages that the adopted raw materials are cheap and easy to obtain, the synthesis method is simple to operate,
reaction conditions are mild, requirements on equipment are low, and the method is suitable for industrial large-scale production.