(Meth)acrylic esters containing urethane groups, their preparation, radiation-curable coating compositions and a process for preparing these coating compositions

A radiation curable coating composition comprising at least one nondispersing (meth)acrylic ester containing urethane groups, at least one photoinitiator, and optionally further additives wherein said nondispersing (meth)acrylic ester is prepared by a process comprising

• a) reacting at least one hydroxyl-containing compound with (meth)acrylic acid in a solvent, to form an ester;
• b) removing the solvent and optionally a part of unreacted (meth)acrylic acid;
• c) reacting the mixture resulting from stage a) or b) with at least one epoxy-functional compound in an amount corresponding to the acid number of the mixture;
• and
• d) reacting the mixture resulting from stage c) with at least one compound containing isocyanate groups,
• wherein stage c) is carried out using as epoxy-functional compound polyglycidyl ethers or polyglycidyl esters of polyfunctional alcohols.