1.) I'm not sure for the minimum for Wisdom (I wouldn't recommend a penalty, though), but you don't want a Charisma of under 16- though you could, theoretically, have a Charisma as low as 12, and put every ability score increase you get from leveling into it, boosting it up to 16 by the time level 16 (when you get 6th level spells) comes around.
2.) You can't attack and cast at the same time because you and your eidolon share actions, that is, you are essentially the eidolon, so could attack as the eidolon OR cast as yourself each round. It's the same reason you can't hit someone with a sword and cast a spell in the same round (discounting magi, of course).
3.) No. See above, but your eidolon isn't attacking- you are. You don't have the same action economy of other summoners, which is the trade-off for the archetype.
4.) Hmmm... While by RAW, I can't see anywhere in the text that says you lose your natural attacks, the descriptive text and RAI clearly intend that you should lose your natural attacks while fused. This would be something of a GM call.
5.) Really not sure, the rules aren't clear on this matter.
6.) Spellcasting works the same as it always has, though you do need a form with limbs to cast spells that have somatic components.
7.) Rage should affect synthesist stats, as rage provides a morale bonus, which should improve your eidolon's stats as normal.
2 and 3 are why I prefer to use biped for a synthesist. You use a reach build so you can cast on your turn and attack on your opponents' turn.
Very few people would think that's the rules as intended. I tend to rule pretty liberally and would say no to that.
Yes, RAI is Rules as Intended. RAW is Rules As Written.
I think that an ape would actually fall into the "biped" base category, if it can walk on its hind legs without using its arms. (You can describe it however you want, though). Going quadruped would also work, but you might lose out on a bit of versatility.
To be clear, I'm saying your quadruped would be limited as a quadraped is, regardless of flavor text. It wouldn't get the best bits of being a quadraped and a biped.
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A synthesist can select a quadruped base form and the Limbs (Arms) evolution (basically a tauroid eidolon) to get all of the benefits of the form (higher speed, ability to qualify for the Pounce evolution), while also having manipulative limbs to cast spells, use skills, wield weapons, etc.
A synthesist who buffs then goes into melee can get away with a charisma as low as 13 - increase it to 14 at 4th level for the bonus spell, then rely on items to increase it further later on. Wisdom can be as high or low as you like. On the other hand - what were you planning to have high? A synthesist will be replacing their physical stats most of the time, and while more skill points are always nice no class feature of theirs depends on intelligence.