In a process for the production of dialkyl succinate from a feedstock comprising maleic anhydride, feed in the liquid phase is provided to a reactor operated at a temperature of at least about 150° C. The feed is contacted with hydrogen at a pressure of at least about 300 psig in the presence of an acid tolerant catalyst and an alkanol wherein at least some of the carbon carbon double bonds of the maleic anhydride are hydrogenated to form succinic acid and that the heat generated promotes esterification to dialkyl succinate in situ. A stream of dialkyl succinate is recovered from the reactor.