| abstract |
A process for preparing isosorbide ethoxylate di(meth)acrylate by transesterifying alkyl (meth)acrylate with isosorbide ethoxylate, comprising the steps of:n (i) ethoxylating isosorbide to give isosorbide ethoxylate, (ii) reacting alkyl (meth)acrylate with isosorbide ethoxylate in the presence of potassium phosphate as catalyst and a stabilizer and in the presence of an azeotroping agent which forms an azeotrope with the alcohol bound in the alkyl (meth)acrylate, (iii) continuously distilling off the azeotrope of azeotroping agent and alcohol, wherein steps (ii) and (iii) are conducted simultaneously until the isosorbide ethoxylate has been essentially fully converted, (iv) removing the catalyst from the product mixture comprising isosorbide ethoxylate di(meth)acrylate, (v) distilling unconverted alkyl (meth)acrylate and azeotroping agent out of the product mixture. |