Process for the discontinuous (trans)esterification of (meth)acrylate compounds

A method for preparing an alkyl (meth)acrylate product by a (trans)esterification reaction of a reaction mixture in a reactor system, the reactor system comprising a heating and/or cooling system (12, 12a), a reaction chamber comprising the reaction mixture, a column with a column head, a feed line to the reaction chamber and/or a feed line to the column, a vapor transfer line, a condenser system, a reflux tank, a reflux line, a distillate transfer line, and a receiver vessel,

• wherein the reaction mixture comprises a (meth)acrylate starting material and a first alcohol which are converted by the (trans)esterification reaction at a reaction temperature and a given pressure in the reaction chamber in presence of a catalyst and other additives into the alkyl (meth)acrylate product and a side product,
• wherein over a predominant amount of time during the (trans)esterification reaction at least a portion of the side product is continuously or incrementally removed by distillate take off, and
• wherein over a predominant amount of time during the (trans)esterification reaction the given pressure is constantly or incrementally adjusted to keep the reaction temperature below a predetermined upper limit, and
• wherein during the (trans)esterification reaction, a target value for the reaction temperature is in a range of 90° C. to 145° C. at a pressure in a range of 1300 mbar to 400 mbar (abs.), and
• wherein a filling level of the reaction chamber is kept constant by compensating at least a portion of a converted (meth)acrylate starting material and/or of the first alcohol by adding a further amount of the (meth)acrylate starting material and/or of the first alcohol to the reaction mixture in the reaction chamber, via the feed line to the reaction chamber and/or to the column.