N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate composition stabilized in respect of discoloring effects

1. A process for the continuous production of a composition of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate that is stabilized with respect to coloration, comprising from 25 to 200 ppm of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol, said process comprising the steps of transesterifying a light acrylate selected from the group consisting of methyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate, with dimethylaminoethanol in the presence of a catalyst, followed by a treatment for purifying a reaction mixture comprising a final distillation of purified N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate, wherein 25 to 200 ppm of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol are introduced at an outlet of the distilled gaseous stream of purified N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate, before condensation of final product.

2. The process of claim 1 comprising the following steps:

a) transesterifying a light acrylate selected from the group consisting of methyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate, with dimethylaminoethanol in the presence of a transesterification catalyst and at least one polymerization inhibitor, a corresponding azeotropic mixture of light acrylate/light alcohol being drawn off continuously during the reaction;

b) conveying a crude reaction mixture to a first distillation column C1, referred to as tailing column, under reduced pressure, the crude reaction mixture comprising the desired N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate with, as light products, dimethylaminoethanol and unreacted light acrylate and, as heavy products, the catalyst, the polymerization inhibitor(s) and heavy reaction by-products, to obtain:

at the top, a stream composed essentially of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate and light products, comprising a minor fraction of heavy products but devoid, or substantially devoid, of catalyst; and

at the bottom, a stream composed of heavy products with a minor fraction of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate and the catalyst; then

c) conveying the top stream from the first distillation column C1 to a second distillation column C2, referred to as topping column, under reduced pressure, to obtain:

at the top, a stream composed of light products with a minor fraction of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate; and

at the bottom, N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate containing traces of light products, heavy reaction by-products and the polymerization inhibitor(s); then

d) conveying the bottom stream from the second distillation column C2 to a third distillation column C3, referred to as rectification column, under reduced pressure, into the top of which 25 to 200 ppm of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol is introduced, to obtain:

at the top, a gaseous stream of purified N,N-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate that is stabilized with respect to coloration which is subsequently condensed; and

at the bottom, a stream consisting essentially of the polymerization inhibitor(s).

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light acrylate is ethyl acrylate.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the composition has a coloration of less than 100.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the composition further comprises at least one polymerization inhibitor, selected from the group consisting of hydroquinone, hydroquinone methyl ether (MEHQ) and mixtures thereof.