PROCESS FOR DISTILLATIVE WORKUP OF A METHANOL/WATER MIXTURE AND PROCESS FOR PREPARING ALKALI METAL METHOXIDES

The invention relates to a method for the distillative processing of a methanol/water mixture, wherein a methanol/water mixture is added to a distillation column (1), a vapor stream substantially comprising methanol is removed at the head of the distillation column (1), and a bottom stream substantially comprising water is withdrawn at the base of the distillation column (1), at least part of the vapor stream substantially comprising methanol is condensed and the condensed vapor stream is added as heating vapor to an evaporator (11), in which at least part of the methanol/ water mixture to be separated is vaporized. The invention further relates to a method for producing alkali methylates in a reaction column (31), wherein methanol and alkaline lye are added to the reaction column (31). At the lower end of the reaction column (31), alkali methylate dissolved in methanol is withdrawn, and a methanol/water mixture is withdrawn at the upper end of the reaction column (31) and the methanol/water mixture is processed by way of the method for distillative processing.