In a first aspect, the invention relates to an integrated process for simultaneously preparing n mixtures P(i) comprising
alkali metal methoxide and
methanol and for preparing
solid alkali metal methoxide A(i)OMe, comprising providing n
reactive distillation columns K(i); providing n aqueous liquid streams H(i), a given
stream H(i) comprising a dissolved
alkali metal hydroxide A(i)OH, wherein n is an integer with n≥2 and i=1…n; and providing a rectification column D; wherein the process comprises preparing the one or more alkali
metal methoxides in the n
reactive distillation column K(i) under
reactive distillation conditions from the n streams H(i) and n streams G(i) comprising
methanol, thereby obtaining n top streams W(i) comprising
methanol and water; and obtaining n bottoms streams P(i) comprising alkali
metal methoxide A(i)OMe and methanol; the process further comprising (a) subjecting at least a part of at least one of the n bottoms streams P(i) comprising alkali
metal methoxide A(i)OMe and methanol in a separation unit SU to a
solid separation, obtaining a residue enriched in alkali metal methoxide A(i)OMe compared to P(i), preferably containing
solid alkali metal methoxide A(i)OMe, and a
stream MR(i) comprising methanol; and (b) feeding at least a part of the
stream comprising methanol MR(i) obtained in (a) to at least one reactive
distillation column K(i) and / or feeding at least a part of the stream comprising methanol MR(i) obtained in (a) to rectification column D. A second aspect of the invention is directed to a
chemical production unit for carrying out the process according to the first aspect of the invention. In a third aspect, the invention relates to a use of the
chemical production unit according to the second aspect of the invention or of a process according to the first aspect of the invention for simultaneously producing n mixtures P(i) comprising alkali metal methoxide and methanol, n being an integer with n≥2 and i=1…n, wherein either at least 2 of the mixtures P(i) comprise different alkali metal methoxides A(i)OMe, and / or at least 2 of the mixtures P(i) comprise the same alkali
metal alkoxide A(i)OMe at different concentrations.