A process for the production of (meth)acrylic acid and derivatives and polymers produced therefrom

Abstract

A method of extracting (meth)acrylic acid from an aqueous reaction medium into an organic phase in contact therewith is described. The aqueous reaction medium is formed from at least one base catalyst and at least one dicarboxylic acid selected from maleic, fumaric, malic, itaconic, citraconic, mesaconic, and citramalic acid or mixtures thereof in aqueous solution and contains the base catalysed decarboxylation products of the base catalysed reaction. The method includes either the addition of at least one of the said dicarboxylic acids and / or a precursor thereof to the aqueous reaction medium to enhance the solvent extraction of the (meth)acrylic acid into the organic solvent or maintaining the level of base catalyst to dicarboxylic acid and / or pre-cursor at a substoichiometric level during the extraction process. The method extends to a process of producing (meth)acrylic acid, its esters and polymers and copolymers thereof.