METHOD OF PRODUCING ALKYL ESTERS OF METHACRYLIC ACID BY AZEOTROPIC DISTILLATION Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC C07C67/20 C07C67/54 C07C69/54 C08F20/18 C07C231/06 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to an improved method of producing alkyl esters of methacrylic acid which involves the following steps: i) providing acetone cyanohydrin, ii) bringing the acetone cyanohydrin into contact with an inorganic acid, accompanied by formation of methacrylamide, iii) bringing the methacrylamide into contact with an alcohol in a reactor in the presence of an inorganic acid at temperature of 100-140°C, accompanied by formation of an alkyl ester of methacrylic acid, iv) continuous removal of at least part of the alkyl ester of methacrylic acid from the reactor into a distillation column in form of a secondary vapour stream, wherein said removal is carried out by feeding an output stream containing water vapour into the reactor. The invention also relates to an apparatus for producing alkyl esters of methacrylic acid, having the following components, connected in series with each other and having fluid conductivity: apparatus for producing acetone cyanohydrin, apparatus for producing methacrylamide, apparatus for producing alkyl ester of methacrylic acid, optionally an apparatus for purifying the alkyl ester of methacrylic acid, wherein the apparatus for producing alkyl ester of methacrylic acid has at least one reactor and at least one distillation column; and a method of producing polymers, at least partly based on alkyl esters of methacrylic acid, involving production of alkyl ester of methacrylic acid using the method described above.

EFFECT: improved method.

18 cl, 9 dwg