Transvinylation as a first stage of coupling production of vinyl esters and acetic acid or propionic acid reaction products

Process for coproduction of a vinyl ester of the formula R—C(O)O—CH═CH2 by transvinylation reaction of a carboxylic acid of the formula R—C(O)OH with a transvinylating reagent of the formula R1—C(O)O—CH═CH2:

• R—C(O)OH+R1—C(O)O—CH═CH2→R1—C(O)OH+R—C(O)O—CH═CH2
• where R is an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic radical and R1 is methyl or ethyl, and of a derivative which is derived from the carboxylic acid R1—C(O)—OH formed, characterized in that
• (a) the transvinylation reaction conducting continuously at a temperature of 90 to 160° C. and at a pressure of 0.8 to 8 MPa without withdrawal of a reactant such that the reaction system is in the steady state, the reaction also being conducted in the presence of a transition metal catalyst containing at least one transition metal selected from the group of ruthenium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, palladium and platinum;
• (b) the resulting reaction mixture separating into its constituents and the vinyl ester of the formula R—C(O)O—CH═CH2 and the carboxylic acid of the formula R1—C(O)—OH are removed;
• and
• (c) utilizing the carboxylic acid of the formula R1—C(O)—OH obtained after step (b) to prepare a derivative of the formula R1—C(O)—X, R1—CH2—OH or R6—C(O)—OH in which X is vinyloxy, O—CH═CH2, halogen, alkoxy of the formula OR2 in which R2 is a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, amino of the formula NR3R4 in which R3 and R4 are each independently hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or carboxyl of the formula O—C(O)—R5 in which R5 is hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and R6 is the partly or fully halogen-substituted R1 radical.