The invention relates to a process for continuously producing 2-octyl acrylate by reacting acrylic acid and 2-octanol in the presence of a sulfonic acid esterification catalyst and at least one polymerization inhibitor. The water formed by the esterification reaction is entrained by distillation in a column surmounting the reactor in the form of a heteroazeotropic mixture with the 2-octanol which is then subjected, after condensation, to separation in a decanter so as to give an upper organic phase and a lower aqueous phase. The reaction mixture containing the reaction product and residual by-products are purified by separation means in order to obtain: (1) pure 2-octyl acrylate and (2) unreacted 2-octanol and acrylic acid compounds that will be recycled along with the catalyst.