Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing 2-octyl (meth)acrylate by reacting 2-octanol with (meth)acrylic acid in the presence of an acidic esterification catalyst, a polymerization inhibitor and the azeotroping agent cyclohexane, comprising the steps of: providing a reactor unit (24), wherein a reactor (1) having a reactor heating element (30) is located within the reactor unit (24), feeding 2-octanol (13), (meth)acrylic acid (14), acidic esterification catalyst (15), cyclohexane (17) and polymerization inhibitor (31) into the reactor (1), carrying out an esterification in the reactor (1) to form a liquid reaction mixture, wherein the esterification in the reactor (1) is conducted at a bottom temperature in the range of 90 to 130° C. and at an absolute pressure in the range of 0.5 to 2.