Process for the manufacture of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate

Process for the manufacture of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate by direct esterification of acrylic acid with 2-ethylhexanol in the presence of at least one stabilizer for acrylic acid, the said esterification being catalysed by sulphuric acid, the crude reaction mixture (B1) obtained comprising 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexanol, acrylic acid, 2-ethylhexyl hydrogensulphate, traces of sulphuric acid and the usual impurities, characterized in that the crude reaction mixture (B1) is washed with water in an extraction column C2 which makes it possible to obtain, at the top, an organic phase (O2) and to remove, at the bottom, an aqueous phase (A1),

• the organic phase (O2) being sent to a topping column C3 which makes it possible to obtain, at the top, the acrylic acid and the 2-ethylhexanol present in the phase (O2), which products are recycled to the esterification reaction, the topped 2-ethylhexyl acrylate being sent to a second distillation column C4, from where it emerges at the top, purified from the heavy products;
• and
• the aqueous phase (A1) being sent to a stage of hydrolysis of the 2-ethylhexyl hydrogensulphate present in the said aqueous phase (A1), the hydrolysis being carried out so as to form, in the said phase, 2-ethylhexanol and sulphuric acid, the acidic entities resulting from the said hydrolysis being neutralized by introduction of a base into the medium, and the resulting aqueous phase (A3) being sent to a stage of recovery of the 2-ethylhexanol in a distillation column C1, the said alcohol being entrained into the top of the said column C1.