A　reactive　distillation　process　is　proposed　for　the　production　of　isopropanol　by　transesterification　of　isopropyl　acetate　(IPAc)　with　methanol　using　sodium　methoxide　solution　as　catalyst.　The　reaction　kinetics　experiments　were　carried　out　to　correlate　the　parameters　in　a　simple　homogeneous　kinetic　model.　On　the　basis　of　the　fixed　point　analysis　of　residue　curve　maps,　the　feasibility　of　a　reactive　distillation　process　for　the　transesterification　of　isopropyl　acetate　and　methanol　was　analyzed,　and　the　results　showed　that　the　process　is　feasible　under　certain　conditions.　Reactive　distillation　experiments　were　set　up,　and　several　operation　conditions　were　varied,　such　as　reboiler　duty,　reflux　ratio,　space　velocity,　catalytic　loading,　and　reactant　ratio.　The　results　show　that　the　proper　reboiler　duty,　reflux　ratio,　space　velocity,　catalytic　loading,　and　MeOH　to　IPAc　molar　ratio　are　314-365　kJ/h,　3.0,　0.73　m3/(m3　h),　0.4　wt　%,　and　2.5,　respectively,　and　the　conversion　of　IPAc　is　above　99%.　Finally,　the　overall　process　flowsheet　for　synthesizing　isopropanol　is　proposed.　©　2014　American　Chemical　Society.