provided herein is a novel and useful process for preparing 2 - methoxy - 4 - methyl - 6 - methylamino - 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine that broadly comprises the steps of reacting zinc bis with acetic anhydride to give 2 , 4 - dimethoxy - 6 - methyl - 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine and reacting the 2 , 4 - dimethoxy - 6 - methyl - 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine , formed in step , with methylamine to give 2 - methoxy - 4 - methyl - 6 - methylamino - 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine .