n- (CAS NO.: ), which is known as 2-Propenoic acid, butyl ester, could be produced through the following synthetic route.

In a 2-l. two-necked round-bottomed flask having a capillary ebullator tube in one neck are placed 371 g. (5 moles) of n-butyl alcohol, 861 g. (10 moles) of methyl acrylate, 20 g. of hydroquinone, and 10 g. of p-toluenesulfonic acid. The flask is attached to an all-glass fractionating column, preferably one without packing such as the Vigreux type, and the solution is heated to boiling in an oil bath. The column is operated under total reflux until the temperature of the vapors at the still head falls to 62–63°, which is the boiling point of the methanol-methyl acrylate azeotrope. This azeotrope is then distilled as rapidly as it is formed, the temperature at the still head not being allowed to exceed 65°. When the production of methanol has become very slow (6–10 hours), the excess methyl acrylate is distilled, and the butyl acrylate is then distilled, preferably at 10–20 mm. It boils at 39°/10 mm., 84–86°/101–102 mm., and at about 145° at atmospheric pressure. The yield is 500–600 g. (78–94%).