2⁃tert⁃butyl⁃p⁃cresol (2⁃TBC) was synthesized by alkylation of p⁃cresol with tert⁃butanol under microwave irradiation using HY with different n(Si)/n(Al) as catalyst. The effects of microwave irradiation time and power, reaction temperature, molar ratio of raw materials and kinds of solvents on the reaction were investigated using xylene as solvent. The results show that the conversion of p⁃cresol is increased about three times when HY zeolite with 5.4 n(Si)/n(Al) as catalyst, the molar ratio of raw material is n(tert⁃butanol)/n(p⁃cresol)=1.3, the microwave radiation power is 700 W, the microwave radiation heating time is only 1/8 of the oil bath heating time, the highest conversion of p⁃cresol was 72.91%; the yield of target product 2⁃TBC was 68.08%, and the selectivity was 93.32%; by⁃products are etherification product p⁃toluene tert⁃butyl ether (TBPE) and dialkylation product 2,6⁃di⁃tert⁃butyl p⁃cresol (2,6⁃DTBC)