Patent ID: 6180819
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
A method of continuously recovering a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl acrylate substantially free of acrylic acid from an esterification reaction mixture, comprising the steps of:(A) distilling from an esterification reactor a vaporized mixture comprising acrylic acid, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl acrylate, an C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanol, and water;(B) separating the vaporized mixture into an organic phase and an aqueous phase; and(C) feeding at least a portion of the organic phase and at least a portion of the aqueous phase to an acrylic acid separation column;(D) distilling overhead from the acrylic acid separation column at an aqueous reflux ratio of 8.5:1 to 17:1 an azeotropic mixture comprising a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl acrylate, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanol, and water; and(E) separating from the azeotropic mixture a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl acrylate organic phase substantially free of acrylic acid.