Process for concurrent hydrolysis of esters and separation of products using a simulated moving bed

A liquid phase process for the continuous hydrolysis of esters containing from about 2 to about 16 carbon atoms with concurrent separation of hydrolysis products comprising:

• a. continuously introducing a desorbent and a feed, which collectively comprise at least one ester, water, and at least one solvent, to a simulated moving bed of a solid or a mixture of solids effective to catalyze hydrolysis and to separate hydrolysis products by selective adsorption of at least one product;
• b. hydrolyzing the ester(s) to form the hydrolysis products consisting of at least one alcohol and at least one carboxylic acid;
• c. separating the alcohol(s) from the carboxylic acid(s) by selectively adsorbing at least one class of product on the solid or mixture of solids;
• d. desorbing the selectively adsorbed class of product from the solid or mixture of solids using the desorbent;
• and
• e. collecting and recovering the separated alcohol(s) and carboxylic acid(s).