METHOD OF PURIFYING METHACRYLIC ESTER

摘要

In a process for producing a (meth)acrylic ester by esterifying (meth)acrylic acid and an alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst, a purification step is conducted which comprises rectifying the reaction mixture in the presence of a heteroatom−containing chelate complex having as the central metal an element in Groups 7 to 12 of the Periodic Table in the longer form to thereby inhibit the (meth)acrylic ester from undergoing transesterification with the hydroxy compound which is a by−product present as an impurity and from yielding an alcohol. Thus, a high−purity (meth)acrylic ester can be produced.