Process for the production of alkyl (meth)acrylates by direct esterification

A process for the production of a C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 alkyl (meth)acrylate comprising:

• (a) conducting a direct esterification of (meth)acrylic acid by a C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 alcohol, said esterification being catalyzed by sulphuric acid and resulting in a crude reaction mixture comprising C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 alkyl (meth)acrylate, the alcohol, (meth)acrylic acid, C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 alkyl hydrogen sulphate, and sulphuric acid;
• (b) adding to said crude reaction mixture an aqueous solution of a base to neutralize the (meth)acrylic acid, the C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 alkyl hydrogen sulphate, and the sulphuric acid thereby forming an organic phase and an aqueous phase, the resulting salts passing into the aqueous phase of the said mixture;
• (c) separating the resulting organic phase from the resultant aqueous phase;
• (d) recovering the alkyl (meth)acrylate product from said organic phase;
• (e) adding acid to said resultant aqueous phase and subjecting the alkyl hydrogen sulphate present in its salt form in said aqueous phase to acid hydrolysis so as to form a C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 alcohol and sulphuric acid in the said phase;
• (f) neutralizing the acidic species resulting from the said hydrolysis by introduction of a base into the medium;
• and
• (g) recovering the C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 alcohol from the resulting aqueous phase from step (f).