Patent ID: 9403750
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: C07C,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. A process for continuously producing 2-octyl acrylate, the process comprising the steps of (1) reacting acrylic acid and a branched secondary alcohol which is 2-octanol in the presence of a sulfuric acid esterification catalyst and at least one polymerization inhibitor in a reactor, (2) entraining water formed by the esterification reaction by distillation in a column surmounting the reactor in the form of a heteroazeotropic mixture with the 2-octanol which is condensed and then separated in a decanter to produce an upper organic phase and a lower aqueous phase, (3) purifying by separation a reaction mixture comprising reaction product and residual by-products to obtain, pure 2-octyl acrylate, unreacted 2-octanol, acrylic acid compounds, and catalyst, wherein said unreacted 2-octanol, acrylic acid compounds and catalyst are recyclable and wherein: the aqueous phase derived from the decanter is continuously removed and not returned to the reactor; the organic phase derived from the decanter is continuously recycled at the bottom of the distillation column surmounting the reactor; and the treatment for purification of the reaction mixture comprises the steps of (i) separating a catalyst-rich stream which is at least partly recycled to the reaction step, (ii) separating a stream rich in unreacted 2-octanol which is at least partly recycled to the reaction step, and (iii) recovering pure 2-octyl acrylate.