The present invention is directed to a process for the production of methyl acrylate wherein methyl lactate is contacted with a ZSM-5 catalyst in the presence of methanol. It was found that the presence of methanol is essential to obtain a selective process with a high yield. With the process according to the invention methyl acrylate may be obtained as the major product of the reaction, especially if methanol is used as solvent instead of water, while acrylic acid is detected in minor quantity (usually below 10 C %, but often below 5 C %). Methanol may be used as the sole solvent in the process, but preferably also a small amount of water is present in the solvent. In one aspect of the invention, between 1 and 25 wt % of water, based on the total amount of solvent is present.

The present invention is directed to a process for the production of methyl acrylate wherein methyl lactate is contacted with a ZSM-5 catalyst in the presence of methanol. It was found that the presence of methanol is essential to obtain a selective process with a high yield. With the process according to the invention methyl acrylate may be obtained as the major product of the reaction, especially if methanol is used as solvent instead of water, while acrylic acid is detected in minor quantity (usually below 10 C %, but often below 5 C %). Methanol may be used as the sole solvent in the process, but preferably also a small amount of water is present in the solvent. In one aspect of the invention, between 1 and 25 wt % of water, based on the total amount of solvent is present.

The present invention is directed to a process for the production of methyl acrylate wherein methyl lactate is contacted with a ZSM-5 catalyst in the presence of methanol. It was found that the presence of methanol is essential to obtain a selective process with a high yield. With the process according to the invention methyl acrylate may be obtained as the major product of the reaction, especially if methanol is used as solvent instead of water, while acrylic acid is detected in minor quantity (usually below 10 C %, but often below 5 C %). Methanol may be used as the sole solvent in the process, but preferably also a small amount of water is present in the solvent. In one aspect of the invention, between 1 and 25 wt % of water, based on the total amount of solvent is present.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.

A method for producing esters of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed, the method includes reacting a three or four carbon beta-hydroxyalkanoate composition or mixtures thereof with a mono-alcohol under heating conditions to form a reaction product and distilling the reaction product to recover a composition containing at least fifty percent by weight of the ester of the alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid.