| abstract |
In a process and a device for the continuous production of alkyl esters of (meth) acrylic acid by reaction of (meth) acrylic acid and monohydric alkanols having 1 to 8 carbon atoms in homogeneous, liquid, solvent-free phase at elevated temperature and in the presence of an acidic Esterification catalyst, in which the (meth) acrylic acid, the alkanol and the acid catalyst are fed continuously to a reaction zone, the reaction zone consists of a cascade of at least two reaction regions connected in series, and the discharge stream of one reaction region forms an inlet stream of a subsequent reaction region. The cascade can have two to four reaction areas which are spatially separated from one another. |