| abstract |
An improved process for producing +E,uns n+EE -butyl acrylate in high yield and high purity substantially free of acrylic acid, incorporates one or more of the following new process components in an acid-catalyzed esterification process for producing +E,uns n+EE -butyl acrylate: 1. A hydrolytic recovery component, wherein heavy end adducts produced during the acid-catalyzed esterification are hydrolyzed, recovered, and recycled as valuable reactants from a hydrolytic recovery unit (HRU); 2. A cracking reactor component, preferably used with the HRU, wherein additional valuable reactants are recovered and recycled after treatment in the cracking reactor; and 3. A new distillative component, wherein a crude +E,uns n+EE -butyl acrylate stream is efficiently distilled in an aqueous mode through an acrylic acid separation column, thereby providing +E,uns n+EE -butyl acrylate substantially free of acrylic acid and in high yield. The first two components also are applicable to acid-catalyzed processes producing C1 to C4 alkyl acrylates. A continuous process producing +E,uns n+EE -butyl acrylate incorporating all new process components also is disclosed. |