A method of co-producing vinyl acetate and ethyl acetate includes: (a)
reacting ethylene, acetic acid and oxygen to form vinyl acetate and at
least a minor amount of ethyl acetate; (b) providing a crude product
stream containing the vinyl acetate and ethyl acetate of step (a) and
acetic acid to a distillation tower; (c) separating the crude product
stream into: (i) a vinyl acetate product stream enriched in vinyl acetate
with respect to the crude product stream; (ii) an acid recycle stream
enriched in acetic acid with respect to the crude product stream; (iii) a
mixed sidestream containing vinyl acetate and ethyl acetate, the mixed
sidestream being enriched in ethyl acetate with respect to the vinyl
acetate product stream; and (d) hydrogenating vinyl acetate in the mixed
sidestream to provide an ethyl acetate product stream.