Previous attempts to synthesize vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) from synthesis gas involve routes that require a costly recycle of acetic acid through a carbonylation reactor. Two new routes to VAM from synthesis gas that avoid this acetic acid recycle have been investigated. One of these new routes synthesizes VAM from acetic acid via the intermediacy of ketene. Ketene is hydrogenated to acetaldehyde, and the acetaldehyde is reacted directly with ketene to produce VAM. The second route synthesizes VAM from the carbonylation of dimethyl ether to acetic anhydride followed by reaction of the acetic anhydride with acetaldehyde in a reactive distillation column to produce VAM and acetic acid. The co-produced acetic acid is hydrogenated to form the acetaldehyde required in the reactive distillation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.