Patent ID: 6617470
Filing Date: 2003-09-09
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for esterifying (meth)acrylic acid with an alkanol in the presence of an esterification catalyst, in which unconverted starting compounds and (meth)acrylic ester formed are removed from the reaction mixture by distillation, leaving behind an oxyester-containing bottom product, the bottom product is separated off and the oxyesters contained therein are thereafter cleaved by the action of elevated temperature in the presence of at least one acid catalyst, at least one aromatic sulfonic acid of the formula IV, whereRâ€³ independently of one another are each alkyl of six to twenty carbon atoms, u is an integer from 1 to 3, and v is 1 or 2, being present as the at least one acid catalyst for cleaving the oxyesters, wherein the cleavage is carried out stepwise.