A process for producing alkyl methacrylates, in particular methyl methacrylate (MMA), includes production of methacrolein (MAL) in a first reaction stage; direct oxidative esterification (DOE) of the methacrolein with an alcohol, preferably methanol, to afford an alkyl methacrylate in a second reaction stage; and workup of the alkyl methacrylate crude product from the second reaction stage. An optimized workup of the reactor output from the oxidative esterification of methacrolein involves minimizing the amount of employed water, the amount of employed acid, and/or the amount of aqueous waste streams, through an optimized recycling of the generated process water streams.

A process for producing alkyl methacrylates, in particular methyl methacrylate (MMA), includes production of methacrolein (MAL) in a first reaction stage; direct oxidative esterification (DOE) of the methacrolein with an alcohol, preferably methanol, to afford an alkyl methacrylate in a second reaction stage; and workup of the alkyl methacrylate crude product from the second reaction stage. An optimized workup of the reactor output from the oxidative esterification of methacrolein involves minimizing the amount of employed water, the amount of employed acid, and/or the amount of aqueous waste streams, through an optimized recycling of the generated process water streams.

A process for producing alkyl methacrylates, in particular methyl methacrylate (MMA), includes production of methacrolein (MAL) in a first reaction stage; direct oxidative esterification (DOE) of the methacrolein with an alcohol, preferably methanol, to afford an alkyl methacrylate in a second reaction stage; and workup of the alkyl methacrylate crude product from the second reaction stage. An optimized workup of the reactor output from the oxidative esterification of methacrolein involves minimizing the amount of employed water, the amount of employed acid, and/or the amount of aqueous waste streams, through an optimized recycling of the generated process water streams.

The present invention is directed to a purification method for purifying a fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer of the formula (1), in which the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer is purified by distillation in the coexistence of a phenolic compound A such as 6-tert-butyl-2,4-xylenol and a phenolic compound B such as 2,2′-methylene-bis(4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol). ##STR00001##
By the combined use of the phenolic compound A and the phenolic compound B, it is possible to significantly suppress polymerization or oligomerization of the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer even during industrial-production-scale distillation and efficiently purify the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer by distillation.

The present invention is directed to a purification method for purifying a fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer of the formula (1), in which the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer is purified by distillation in the coexistence of a phenolic compound A such as 6-tert-butyl-2,4-xylenol and a phenolic compound B such as 2,2′-methylene-bis(4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol). ##STR00001##
By the combined use of the phenolic compound A and the phenolic compound B, it is possible to significantly suppress polymerization or oligomerization of the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer even during industrial-production-scale distillation and efficiently purify the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer by distillation.

The present invention is directed to a purification method for purifying a fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer of the formula (1), in which the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer is purified by distillation in the coexistence of a phenolic compound A such as 6-tert-butyl-2,4-xylenol and a phenolic compound B such as 2,2′-methylene-bis(4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol). ##STR00001##
By the combined use of the phenolic compound A and the phenolic compound B, it is possible to significantly suppress polymerization or oligomerization of the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer even during industrial-production-scale distillation and efficiently purify the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer by distillation.

Provided is a method of producing an anhydride of an organic mono-acid comprising contacting an organic mono-acid and a thermally regenerable anhydride to produce the anhydride of the organic mono-acid, and either a diacid of the regenerable anhydride, a partially hydrolyzed regenerable anhydride, or both. In a particular example, acetic acid and glutaric anhydride can be reacted to form acetic anhydride.

Provided is a method of producing an anhydride of an organic mono-acid comprising contacting an organic mono-acid and a thermally regenerable anhydride to produce the anhydride of the organic mono-acid, and either a diacid of the regenerable anhydride, a partially hydrolyzed regenerable anhydride, or both. In a particular example, acetic acid and glutaric anhydride can be reacted to form acetic anhydride.

A process can be used for preparing methyl methacrylate (MMA), by direct oxidative esterification of methacrolein. The MMA and polymers produced therefrom feature a very low yellowness index. A workup of the reactor output from the oxidative esterification of methacrolein allows for particularly discolouring by-products to be removed or degraded without significant MMA losses.

A process can be used for preparing methyl methacrylate (MMA), by direct oxidative esterification of methacrolein. The MMA and polymers produced therefrom feature a very low yellowness index. A workup of the reactor output from the oxidative esterification of methacrolein allows for particularly discolouring by-products to be removed or degraded without significant MMA losses.