Continuous preparation of alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid

摘要

In the process for the continuous preparation of alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid by reacting (meth)acrylic acid with monohydric alkanols having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms in the presence of an acid esterification catalyst in a reaction zone, there is discharged from the reaction zone a product mixture which comprises the alkyl (meth)acrylate formed, the catalyst and the by-products formed during the course of the esterification having boiling points higher than that of the alkyl (meth)acrylate, and from which the alkyl (meth)acrylate is separated by distillation in a separation zone. The product mixture discharged from the reaction zone is fed to a rectification unit (I), in this unit the product mixture discharged is separated by rectification into at least one product (I) comprising the alkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acid and a product (II) comprising the catalyst, the product (I) is fed to a further rectification unit (II) and in this the alkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acid is separated off by rectification.