Patent ID: 7528278

Claim:
A transesterification process, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a reaction mixture, comprising: (i) at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate having Formula I: wherein H═H or CH3; and wherein R′═C 1 -C 8 straight or branched alkyl; (2) at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of aliphatic linear monoalcohols, branched chain monoalcohols, cycloaliphatic alcohols, aromatic alcohols, functional alcohols, unsaturated alcohols, analiphatic polyols, alcohols of ethylene oxide adduct of ethylene urea, and mixtures thereof; and (3) at least one polymerization inhibitor; (b) adding a heterogeneous mixed salt transesterification catalyst to the reaction mixture; wherein the mixed salt catalyst comprises at least one base and at least one modifier salt selected from the group consiting of potassium chloride, lithium chloride, cesium chloride. magnesium chloride, zinc chloride, zinc fluoride, cesium, fluoride, potassium fluoride, lithium fluoride, and magnesium fluoride; (c) heating the reaction mixture to commence reaction of the alkyl (meth)acrylate with the at least one alcohol to form a (meth)acrylate ester having Formula II: wherein R═H or CH 3 , and R′O=an alkoxide of the at least one alcohol, and a product alcohol having Formula III: R′—OH Formula III wherein R′═C 1 -C 8 straight or wherein R′═C 1 -C 8 straight or branched alkyl; and (d) removing, by distillation, a mixture of Formula III and Formula I.