Process for the purification of glycidyl (meth)acrylate

A process for purification by distillation of glycidyl acrylate or methacrylate containing light products comprising epichlorohydrin and light impurities, and heavy impurities in a distillation zone comprising at least one column and at least one boiler, comprising:

• in a first stage, a distillation of the glycidyl acrylate and methacrylate to be purified is conducted in the presence of a first solvent capable of forming a low boiling point heteroazeotrope with the light impurities and epichlorohydrin, so as to obtain a head fraction which consists essentially of a first solvent-light products heteroazeotrope;
• in a second stage, the glycidyl acrylate or methacrylate thus freed from the light products is subjected to a distillation in the presence of a second solvent capable of forming a low boiling point heteroazeotrope with glycidyl acrylate or methacrylate, so as to obtain a head fraction consisting essentially of the second solvent and glycidyl acrylate or methacrylate thus freed from the heavy impurities,
• said solvents being present, during these two distillations, throughout the distillation zone, including the boiler, and
• in a third stage, separating the second solvent from said glycidyl acrylate or methacrylate freed from the heavy impurities.