Preparation of alkyl alpha-(hydroxymethyl) acrylates

Claim 1

METHOD OF MAKING ALKYL ALPHA-(HYDROXYMETHYL)ACRYLATES, THE ALKYL GROUP HAVING FROM 1-8 CARBON ATOMS, COMPRISING FORMING A REACTION MIXTURE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A MEMBER SELECTED FORM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PROPARGYL ALCOHOL, LOWER ALKYL PROPARGYL ETHERS AND LOWR ALKYL PROPARGYL ESTERS, AN ALKANOL HAVING FROM 1-8 CARBON ATOMS, A WEAK ORGANIC ACID AND WATER, SAID ACID AND WATER BEING PRESENT IN AT LEAST STOICHIOMETRIC QUANTITIES BASED ON THE NUMBER OF MOLES OF PROPARGYL ALCOHOL PRESENT, SUBJECTING SAID MIXTURE TO A POSITIVE PRESSURE OF CARBON MONOXIDE, ADDING INCREMENTALLY THERETO NICKEL CARBONYL IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN A CATALYTIC CONCENTRATION OF NICKEL CARBONYL AS THE REACTION PROGRESSES, MAINTAINING DURING THE REACTION A TEMPERATURE OF 85-140* C. AND A CARBON MONOXIDE PRESSURE ABOVE THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF THE OTHER REACTANTS, BUT LESS THAN THAT AT WHICH THE REACTION CEASES, RELEASING THE POSITIVE PRESSURE ON THE SYSTEM, ADDING A CATALYTIC AMOUNT OF AN ESTERIFICATION ACID CATALYST, REFLUXING THE REACTION MIXTURE CONTAINING SAID ALKANOL IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE AT LEAST THE STOICHIOMETRIC QUANTITY REQUIRED FOR ESTERIFICATION, NEUTRALIZING THE ACID CATALYST WITH A BASE, AND RECOVERING THE ALKYL ALPHA-(HYDROXYMETHYL) ACRYLATE FROM THE REACTION MIXTURE.