Process for continuously producing ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid
AssigneeMitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.
InventorsKenichi Nakamura, Futoshi Kawataka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for continuously producing an alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid by ester interchange reaction represented by the following reaction scheme: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl, R.sup.2 is an alkyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 is an alkyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms or a mono- or polyhydroxyalkyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms such that R.sup.2 OH has a boiling point lower than that of R.sup.3 OH. The reaction is continuously carried out in a continuous multi-stage distillation column while simultaneously removing the low-boiling R.sup.2 OH from the reaction zone by distillation, thereby shifting the equilibrium toward the product side to enhance the production of the target alkyl ester.
Claims13
A process for continuously producing an alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid by ester interchange reaction represented by the following reaction scheme:
- ##STR6## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl, R.sup.2 is an alkyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 is an alkyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms or a mono- or polyhydroxyalkyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms such that R.sup.2 OH has a boiling point lower than that of R.sup.3 OH, the process comprising the steps of:
- supplying the starting alkyl ester:
- ##STR7## and the starting alcohol R.sup.3 OH to a continuous multi-stage distillation column, having a top, as starting materials;
- bringing the starting materials into contact with a catalyst in the distillation column to allow the ester interchange reaction to take place between the starting materials while continuously taking out the by-produced alcohol R.sup.2 OH in a vapor form from the top of the distillation column, by distillation;
- and
- continuously taking out the resultant alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid ##STR8## in a liquid form from a lower position of the distillation column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.