PROCESSES FOR PRODUCING ACRYLIC ACIDS AND ACRYLATES

In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing an acrylate product. The process comprises the step of reacting a reaction mixture comprising an alkanoic acid, an alkylenating agent, and oxygen over a catalyst and under conditions effective to form a crude acrylate product. Preferably, the reaction mixture comprises from 0.5 wt % to 10 wt % oxygen. The crude acrylate product comprises acrylate product and alkylenating agent. The process further comprises the step of separating at least a portion of the crude product to form at least one alkylenating agent stream and at least one purified acrylate product stream. The purified acrylate product stream comprises acrylate product.