Abstract: Crude C1-C8 alkyl (meth)acrylate streams, e.g., from the reaction of butanol and (meth)acrylic acid, are refined using a splitter distillation column to yield a C1-C8 alkyl (meth)acrylate- and heavies-containing bottoms fraction and an overhead fraction containing C1-C8 alkyl acetate, C1-C8 alcohol and C1-C8 alkyl (meth)acrylate. A stream comprising a water soluble organic solvent is introduced into the splitter distillation column in an amount sufficient to prevent the formation of water layers in the splitter distillation column and thereby reduce fouling in the splitter distillation column. The bottoms fraction is then subjected to separation, e.g., by distillation, to separate heavies from the bottoms fractions and to recover C1-C8 alkyl (meth)acrylate.