Process for producing an aromatic carbonate

A process for producing an aromatic carbonate, which comprises the steps of:

• (I) transesterifying a starting material selected from the group consisting of a dialkyl carbonate represented by the formula (1)
• R1OCOOR1 (1),
• an alkyl aryl carbonate represented by the formula (2)
• R2OCOOAr2 (2)
• and a mixture thereof with a reactant selected from the group consisting of an aromatic monohydroxy compound represented by the formula (3)
• Ar1OH (3),
• an alkyl aryl carbonate represented by the formula (4)
• R3OCOOAr3 (4)
• and a mixture thereof,
• wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alicyclic group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms or an aralkyl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, and each of Ar1, Ar2 and Ar3 independently represents an aromatic group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms,
• in the presence of a catalyst, to thereby obtain a high boiling point reaction mixture comprising:
• at least one aromatic carbonate (a) which corresponds to the starting material and the reactant and is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl aryl carbonate represented by the formula (5)
• ROCOOAr (5)
• and a diaryl carbonate represented by the formula (6)
• ArOCOOAr (6)
• wherein R and Ar are, respectively, selected from the group consisting of R1, R2 and R3 and selected from the group consisting of Ar1, Ar2 and Ar3 in correspondence to the starting material and the reactant, and an aromatic carbonate ether (b) represented by the formula (7)
• ROR4OCOOAr (7)
• wherein R and Ar are as defined above, and R4 is a divalent group —(CH2)m— (wherein m is an integer of from 2 to 4) which is unsubstituted or substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms,
• while withdrawing a low boiling point reaction mixture which contains a low boiling point by-product comprising an aliphatic alcohol, a dialkyl carbonate or a mixture thereof corresponding to the starting material and the reactant and represented by at least one formula selected from the group consisting of ROH and ROCOOR, wherein R is as defined above, and
• (II) separating said aromatic carbonate ether (b) from said high boiling point reaction mixture to thereby obtain a highly purified aromatic carbonate.