A process for the preparation of alkyl ketene dimers

The invention relates to a method for producing alkyl ketene dimers by reacting carboxylic acid chlorides with tertiary amines in a molar ratio of between 1: 1 and 1: 1.6 at temperatures of between 65 and 150 DEG C and with a residence time of between 1 and 30 mins in the absence of solvents. Said reaction partners are intensively mixed and the alkyl ketene dimers are separated from the reaction mixture.