PRODUCTION OF OXETANE RING-CONTAINING (METH)ACRYLATE ESTER

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To produce the subject compound useful as a coating material, an adhesive or the like at a low cost in high yield and purity by subjecting a (meth)acrylate lower alkyl ester to transesterification reaction with a specific oxetane ring-containing alcohol in the presence of a transesterification catalyst. SOLUTION: (A) A (meth)acrylate lower alkyl ester is subjected to transesterification reaction with (B) an oxetane ring-containing alcohol of formula I (R1 to R3 are each H or a 1-18C alkyl; A is a divalent hydrocarbon optionally having oxygen on the main chain) in the presence of (C) a transesterification catalyst [preferably, a transition metal compound (e.g. a tin compound), an alkali metal alcoholate, an alkaline earth metal alcoholate or the like] to obtain an oxetane ring-containing (meth)acrylate ester of formula II (R4 is H or methyl). The amount of the component A is preferably 0.1-5 mole based on 1 mole of the component B. Further, the amount of the component C is preferably 0.001-10 mol.% based on the component B.