Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.

Masakazu Asami

Sei Nakahara

Masatoshi Ueoka

Yasuhiro Shingai

Yukihiro Yoneda

The present invention provides a production process for a hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate which process enables to maintain the oxygen concentration of a gas phase portion of a reactor within a specific low concentration range in any stage of before adding raw materials, during the reaction, and after the reaction. The production process comprises the step of carrying out a reaction between (meth)acrylic acid and an alkylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst in order to produce the hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate, wherein an inert gas and/or a mixed gas of oxygen and an inert gas with a beforehand adjusted oxygen concentration of 0.1 to 14 vol % is used to maintain the oxygen concentration of a gas phase portion of a reactor in the range of 0.1 to 14 vol % (1) before adding the alkylene oxide or (2) during the above reaction or (3) between the completion of the above reaction and the charge for the next reaction. In addition, another production process comprises the step of carrying out a reaction between (meth)acrylic acid and an alkylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst in order to produce the hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate, wherein the oxygen concentration of a gas phase portion of a reactor is maintained in the range of 0.1 to 14 vol % throughout the production steps.

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Himeji, Japan

Masakazu Asami