Patent ID: 6215018
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for the synthesis of methacrylate monomers comprising the steps of:a) combining a reaction mixture comprisingi) a reactant ester A; ##STR6##ii) a reactant ester B; ##STR7##iii) a catalytically effective amount of lithium t-butoxide;iv) and optionally a polymerization inhibitorunder sufficient heat to produce an alkyl (meth)acrylate ester monomer product C ##STR8##whereinR.sub.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 cycloaliphatic or an aromatic ring which cyclic groups are unsubstituted or substituted with C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or hydroxyl,R.sub.2 is derivative of an alcohol or polyol R.sub.2 (OH).sub.n selected from n- or iso-alkanols having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, furfuryl alcohol, tetrahyrofurfuryl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, 2-phenoxy-ethanol, cyclohexanol, allyl alcohol, methallyl alcohol, butenol, ethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, trimethyol propane, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propandiol, glycerol, bornyl alcohol, borneol, isobornyl alcohol, ethoxyethanol, butoxyethanol, propoxyethanol and higher ethoxylates, and alkamines and di(alk)aminoalcohols wherein alk is methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl, and n is an integer from 1 to 4, corresponding to the number of hydroxyl groups on alcohol or polyol R.sub.2 (OH).sub.n,R.sub.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 alkyl andR.sub.4 is hydrogen or methyl.