Method for (trans)esterification of (meth)acrylate compounds using strong basic catalysts

A method, comprising:

• preparing an alkyl (meth)acrylate product by a (trans)esterification reaction of a reaction mixture in a reactor system, the reactor system comprising a reaction chamber comprising the reaction mixture, a feed line, a reboiler, a column with a column head, a vapor transfer line, a condenser, a reflux tank, a reflux line, a distillate take off 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 strong basic catalyst into the alkyl (meth)acrylate product and a side product,
• wherein the (meth)acrylate starting material is methyl methacrylate and the first alcohol is ethylene glycol or hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and wherein a product is ethylene glycol dimethacrylate,
• wherein the strong basic catalyst comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide (CaO), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), lithium hydroxide (LiOH), sodium methanolate (NaOMe), lithium methanolate (LiOMe), lithium tert-butoxide (LiOt-Bu), and lithium iso-propoxide (LiOiPr),
• wherein over a predominant amount of time during the (trans)esterification reaction at least a portion of the side product is continuously removed by distillate take off, and
• wherein over a predominant amount of time during the (trans)esterification reaction the given pressure is repeatedly adjusted in order to maintain a range of the reaction temperature,
• wherein the repeated adjustment of the given pressure is performed in pressure stages, and
• wherein the given pressure is repeatedly adjusted in a way to maintain the reaction temperature in a range of from 70° C. to not more than 130° C.