Method for the continuous preparation of alcoholates

A process for the continuous production of an alkali metal alcoholate of a higher alcohol which comprises continuously introducing an excess of a higher alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, 2-methylpropanol-(1), n-pentanol, 2-methylbutanol-(4), 2-methylbutanol-(1), 2,2-dimethylpropanol-(1), n-hexanol, 2-ethylhexanol-(1), isopropanol, butanol-(2), pentanol-(2), pentanol-(3), 2-methylbutanol-(3), 2-methylpropanol-(2), 2-methylbutanol-(2), cyclopropanol, cyclobutanol, cyclopentanol and cyclohexanol into a reaction vessel provided with different reaction zones, superposed with at least one rectification zone, continuously introducing an alkali metal alcoholate of a lower alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol and ethanol into said reaction vessel and continuously and simultaneously distilling over and removing from said said reaction vessel a composition which is substantially pure lower alcohol and removing from said reaction vessel a solution of alkali metal alcoholate of higher alcohol in the higher alcohol and constantly adding lower alcohol to said rectification zone, the reflux rate of the lower alcohol amounting in the rectification zone from 6 to up to 200 mols per mol of alkali metal alcoholate of lower alcohol introduced into said reaction vessel provided that when the lower alcohol is ethanol, the higher alcohol is not ethanol.