A process for purifying methyl methacrylate by feeding a product mixture comprising methanol, methyl methacrylate and alkali metal salts thereof, methacrolein, water and heavy byproducts to a distillation column having at least 15 trays. The product mixture and a C6-C7 hydrocarbon enter the distillation column above the middle of the distillation column. An overhead stream comprising C6-C7 hydrocarbon, methacrolein, methanol, water and methyl methacrylate and a bottoms stream comprising water, methyl methacrylate and its alkali metal salt and heavy byproducts are removed from the column.