Normal and isopropyl methacrylate production

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF USEFUL POLYMERIZABLE MATERIALS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF N-PROPYL METHACRYLATE AND ISOPROPYL METHACRYLATE WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF REACTING AN ALCOHOL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF N-PROPANOL AMD ISOPROPANOL WITH METHACRYLIC ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF A POLYMERIZATION INHIBITOR WHILE REMOVING THE WATER OF REACTION BY SUBJECTING THE REACTION MIXTURE TO AZEOTROPIC DISTILLATION IN THE PRESENCE OF AN AZEOTROPIC-FORMING LIQUID SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BENZENE, ETHYLENE DICHLORIDE, CHLOROFORM, DI-ISOPROPYL AND DI-N/PROPYL ETHERS, AND TRICHLOROETHYLENE, ALLOWING THE DISTILLATE TO SEPARATE INTO TWO LAYERS, REJECTING THE AQUEOUS LAYER, AND RETURNING THE OTHER LAYER TO THE REACTION ZONE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY WHEN NO FURTHER AQUEOUS LAYER IS FORMED, SEPARATING THE PROPYL METHACRYLATE FROM THE REACTION PRODUCT BY FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION.