The invention relates to a process in which a compound R1COOR3 (I) is made by a transesterification reaction of an ester compound R1COOR2 (II) with an alcohol R3OH (III) in the presence of a transesterification catalyst, wherein R1 is H or C1-4 alkyl or CH2═CR4—; R2 is C1-4 alkyl; R3 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl having at least 4 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl having at least 5 carbon atoms, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl and amino alkyl; and R4 is —H or —C1-4 alkyl, wherein alcohol R2OH (IV) is formed as a byproduct and in which said byproduct (IV) is removed by distillation in the presence of an entrainer, in which the entrainer is a compound that suppresses the formation of an azeotrope between compound (II) and byproduct (IV). The process can be useful in the preparation of esters such as dimethyl amino ethyl (meth)acrylate. The invention also provides a method of separating alcohols and esters. In a further form of the invention a process of preparing esters by a transesterification process is provided in which the transesterification catalyst is homogenous.