Continuous preparation of alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid and apparatus for this purpose

The continuous prodn. of alkyl(meth)acrylates (I) by the reaction of (meth)acrylic acid (II) and 1-8C monohydric alcohols (III) in homogeneous liq. phase at elevated temp. in the absence of solvent and in presence of an acid esterification catalyst (IV). The process comprises (a) feeding (II), (III) and (IV) continuously into a reaction zone (RZ), (b) removing (I) after a residence time in the form of an azeotrope contg. water or water and (III) in addn. to (I) at the top of a rectifier column (RC) mounted over the RZ, (c) separating the distillate into an organic phase contg. (I) and aq. phase(s) contg. water, (d) recycling part of the organic phase via the top of the column and opt. returning water to the RZ, (e) separating (I) from the rest of the organic phase and removing part of the reaction mixt. continuously from the RZ. The RZ consists of a cascade of at least two reactors in series, and the outflow from one reactor provides the input flow for the next reactor. Also claimed is an appts. for this process.