PRODUCTION OF HYDROXYALKYL (METH)ACRYLATE

PURPOSE:To provide a method for producing a hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate having a stable quality by preventing the production of unpleasant diesters and the large change in the ratio of isomers, when the compound is distilled and purified in the production process. CONSTITUTION:When a hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate of the formula (R1 is H, methyl; R2 is alkylene) is produced by reacting acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with an alkylene oxide in the presence of an iron compound, a polyhydric alcohol, e.g. glycerol, trimethyrolpropane or diethylene glycol is added to the reaction solution after the finish of the reaction, and the compound is subsequently distilled and purified. In the reaction, the reaction temperature is 30-130 deg.C, preferably 50-110 deg.C, and the amount of the catalyst is 0.05-5wt.%, preferably 0.1-2wt.%.