Method of making a biphenol dianhydride composition, method for purification of a biphenol dianhydride, and poly(etherimide)s derived from the biphenol dianhydride

A method of making a biphenol dianhydride composition, the method comprising:

• heating a first solution comprising
• a biphenol tetraacid of the formula
• wherein Ra and Rb are each independently a halogen or a monovalent Ci-6 alkyl group and p and q are each independently an integer of 0 to 4;
• at least one ionic species comprising sodium ions, potassium ions, calcium ions, zinc ions, aluminum ions, titanium ions, phosphorus ions, iron ions, phosphate ions, sulfate ions, chloride ions, nitrate ions, nitrite ions, and sulfite ions;
• and
• a non-halogenated solvent comprising ethyl benzoate, diphenyl ether, phenetole, triglyme, benzonitrile, sulfolane, m-cresol, o-cresol, p-cresol, 1-nitrotoluene, 2-nitrotoluene, 3-nitrotoluene, 4-nitrotoluene,/V-methyl-pyrrolidinone, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, dimethyl acetamide, or a combination thereof;
• under conditions effective to provide a second solution comprising a corresponding biphenol dianhydride, the at least one of sodium ions, potassium ions, calcium ions, zinc ions, aluminum ions, titanium ions, phosphorus ions, iron ions, phosphate ions, sulfate ions, chloride ions, nitrate ions, and nitrite ions, and the solvent.