Alkyl acetates constitute an important group of technical solvents, friendly to the environment, which have found wide applications in various fields (such as extraction agents, diluents, etc.). Their synthesis is based on the esterification of acetic acid with alcohols, catalysed by strong mineral acids or acidic ion exchangers. If the reaction has the character of a reversible reaction, chemical equilibrium can be overcome and a higher degree of conversion can be achieved by removing one of the reaction products from the reaction zone. It can be smartly and effectively achieved by placing the bed of heterogeneous catalyst into a continuously operated ectification column. The reaction zone of the column is most frequently designed as an oriented packing comprising a wire structure packed with catalyst particles. Thus, in a single zone, the oriented structure both contains the catalyst necessary for running the chemical reaction and provides for separation of reactants and reaction products, which is required to shift the reaction equilibrium and achieve a high degree of conversion.