Abstract: Esters of acrylic and methacrylic acid with alcohols and polyols having levels of purity greater than about 95% as measured by gas chromatography using an 11 meter RT.times.200 trifluoropropylmethyl polysiloxane column, a flame ionization detector, an injection temperature of 200.degree. C., an initial column temperature of 90.degree. C. for two minutes, followed by heating to 270.degree. C. at a rate of 8.degree. C. per minute and a detector temperature of 300.degree. C.

Abstract: Esters of monocarboxylic acids are transesterified with 1,2- and 1,3-polyols by reaction in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a dialkyltin oxide blended with an excess of dialkyltin dichloride, so that a polyol ester of the monocarboxylic acid is formed. A transesterification reaction of alcohols and polyols with methyl or ethyl mono- or polycarboxylic acid esters utilizing a dimethyltin catalyst is also disclosed, in which the alcohol or polyol carboxylic acid ester formed is essentially free of the organotin catalyst. Carboxylic acid esters produced by the described methods, as well as carboxylic acid esters that are free of organotin catalysts are also disclosed.