A catalyst for production of carboxylic acid ester, containing: catalyst particles containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, palladium, lead, platinum, ruthenium, gold, silver, and copper; and a support supporting the catalyst particles, wherein the catalyst for production of carboxylic acid ester has half-width Wa of pore distribution of 10 nm or less, the half-width Wa being calculated using BJH method from an adsorption isotherm obtained by nitrogen adsorption.

A catalyst for production of carboxylic acid ester, containing: catalyst particles containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, palladium, lead, platinum, ruthenium, gold, silver, and copper; and a support supporting the catalyst particles, wherein the catalyst for production of carboxylic acid ester has half-width Wa of pore distribution of 10 nm or less, the half-width Wa being calculated using BJH method from an adsorption isotherm obtained by nitrogen adsorption.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a diester compound of the following general formula (1), having a dimethylcyclobutane ring, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent, independently of each other, a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, the process comprising reacting a dimethylcyclobutanone compound of the following general formula (2), wherein R.sup.1 is as defined above, with a phosphonic ester compound of the following general formula (3), wherein R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 represent, independently of each other, a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, to produce the diester compound (1), having a dimethylcyclobutane ring.

##STR00001##

The present invention provides a process for preparing a diester compound of the following general formula (1), having a dimethylcyclobutane ring, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent, independently of each other, a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, the process comprising reacting a dimethylcyclobutanone compound of the following general formula (2), wherein R.sup.1 is as defined above, with a phosphonic ester compound of the following general formula (3), wherein R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 represent, independently of each other, a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, to produce the diester compound (1), having a dimethylcyclobutane ring.

##STR00001##

Disclosed is a method for preparing methyl methacrylate (MMA), the method including: (1) separating isobutene containing saturated hydrocarbon (n-butane and iso-butane), via a catalytic distillation process from a stream of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons containing butadiene, n-butene, and isobutene; (2) producing methacrolein via a first oxidation reaction of the separated isobutene; (3) producing methacrylic acid via a second oxidation reaction of the produced methacrolein; and (4) esterifying the produced methacrylic acid with methanol. By having a high heat capacity, the amount of nitrogen added is minimized to reduce the size of the reactor and the amount of gas production at a rear end, which has a high economic feasibility due to the effect of reducing investment and investment cost.

Disclosed is a method for preparing methyl methacrylate (MMA), the method including: (1) separating isobutene containing saturated hydrocarbon (n-butane and iso-butane), via a catalytic distillation process from a stream of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons containing butadiene, n-butene, and isobutene; (2) producing methacrolein via a first oxidation reaction of the separated isobutene; (3) producing methacrylic acid via a second oxidation reaction of the produced methacrolein; and (4) esterifying the produced methacrylic acid with methanol. By having a high heat capacity, the amount of nitrogen added is minimized to reduce the size of the reactor and the amount of gas production at a rear end, which has a high economic feasibility due to the effect of reducing investment and investment cost.

A method for producing methyl methacrylate including: a distillation step including: supplying a reaction solution, which is obtained by subjecting methacrolein, methanol, and molecular oxygen to oxidative esterification in an oxidative esterification reactor and which contains the methyl methacrylate as a reaction product, to a first distillation column located at downstream of the oxidative esterification reactor, extracting a fraction containing the methacrolein and the methanol from a medium section of the first distillation column, and extracting a column bottom liquid containing the methyl methacrylate from a column bottom of the first distillation column, wherein a concentration of the methanol in the column bottom liquid is 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.

A method for producing methyl methacrylate including: a distillation step including: supplying a reaction solution, which is obtained by subjecting methacrolein, methanol, and molecular oxygen to oxidative esterification in an oxidative esterification reactor and which contains the methyl methacrylate as a reaction product, to a first distillation column located at downstream of the oxidative esterification reactor, extracting a fraction containing the methacrolein and the methanol from a medium section of the first distillation column, and extracting a column bottom liquid containing the methyl methacrylate from a column bottom of the first distillation column, wherein a concentration of the methanol in the column bottom liquid is 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of (III)

##STR00001## wherein X is a leaving group; and R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl;
which comprises oxidative rearrangement of a compound of formula (II) or a solvate thereof

##STR00002##

Compounds of formula (III) are key intermediates in the synthesis of Bilastine.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of (III)

##STR00001## wherein X is a leaving group; and R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl;
which comprises oxidative rearrangement of a compound of formula (II) or a solvate thereof

##STR00002##

Compounds of formula (III) are key intermediates in the synthesis of Bilastine.