METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ALKYL ESTERS OF METHACRYLIC ACID Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC C07C67/10 C07C67/20 C07C67/54 C07C69/54 C08F20/10 C09D4/00 B01J8/00 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to improved methods of producing alkyl esters of methacrylic acid as a reaction product, particularly to a method in which a) a reaction mixture which contains an amide of methacrylic acid, water, sulphuric acid and at least one alkanol undergoes esterification in one or more reaction spaces, b) the crude reaction product, in at least one fractionation column, is subjected to a separation process to obtain a reaction product which contains water, alkyl methacrylate and alkanol, c) the reaction product obtained at step b) is condensed in one or more heat-exchangers, d) the condensate is separated in at least one separation device into an organic phase and an aqueous phase, e) the organic phase is washed with water to obtain a washed organic phased and flush water and f) the separated aqueous phase, along with the flush water, is returned to at least one reaction space. The invention also relates to an apparatus for producing alkyl esters of methacrylic acid, at least having i) one or more reaction spaces in which a reaction mixture, which contains an amide of methacrylic acid, water, sulphuric acid and alkanol, undergoes esterification, ii) at least one fractionation column in which the reaction product is subjected to separation, iii) one or more heat-exchangers in which the reaction product subjected to separation is condensed, iv) at least one separation device in which the condensate is separated into an organic phase and an aqueous phase, v) at least one washing column in which the organic phase is washed with water, vi) at least one liquid-conducting connection between the separation device and at least one reaction space, through which the separated aqueous phase, optionally along with flush water, is returned to at least one reaction space.

EFFECT: high efficiency.

18 cl, 11 dwg