In a process for the production of methyl acetate from methanol and glacial acetic acid involving countercurrently flowing acetic acid and methanol through a single reactive distillation column having an extractive distillation section and a methyl acetate/acetic acid rectification section to obtain methyl acetate in the presence of an acidic catalyst, the improvement which comprises producing ultra high purity methyl acetate by the additional step of introducing acetic anhydride and a salt-free acid catalyst into the reactive distillation column between the extractive distillation section and the methyl acetate/acetic acid rectification section.
