Methods for producing an ester of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid

A method for producing an ester of an alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid, comprising:

• a) obtaining a beta-hydroxyalkanoate containing composition, selected from the group consisting of 3-carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoates, 4-carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoates, or mixtures thereof, the beta-hydroxyalkanoate containing composition comprising:
• (i) at least 40 percent by weight beta-hydroxyalkanoate equivalents
• (ii) at least 0.1 percent by weight free beta-hydroxyalkanoates;
• (iii) at least 1 percent by weight saccharide equivalents;
• and
• (iii) less than 15 percent by weight water;
• b) mixing a mono-alcohol in a molar ratio of from about 1.1 to 1.0 to about 10.0 to 1.0 of mono-alcohol to beta-hydroxyalkanoate equivalents present in the beta-hydroxyalkanoate containing composition to obtain a first mixture;
• c) heating the first mixture to form a reaction product;
• d) distilling the reaction product and recovering an ester of the alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid fraction comprising:
• (i) at least 50 percent by weight the ester of the alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid;
• (ii) less than 1 percent by weight beta-hydroxyalkanoic acid;
• (iii) less than 1 percent by weight water;
• and
• (iv) less than 0.5 percent by weight saccharide equivalents.