Aromatic Esters and Polyesters, Production Without Esterification Catalyst, and Use

A method for producing aromatic esters, comprising:

• i) providing one or more feed compound(s) and one or more impurities, the feed compound(s) having the following Formulas 1(a) and/or 1(b):
• where R1 is a hydrogen or an alkyl, R2 is a hydrogen or an alkyl, the impurities comprising one or more of aldehydes, acetates, aldehyde-acids, acetate-acids, and color body impurity precursors;
• ii) esterifying the feed compound(s) without esterification catalyst with methyl or ethyl alcohol at a temperature from 100° C. to 350° C. and a pressure ≥100 psig to form methyl or ethyl esters of the following Formulas 2(a) and/or 2(b):
• where R1 and R2 are as previously defined and R3 is an alkyl residual of the methyl or ethyl alcohol;
• iii) separating the methyl or ethyl esters from substantially all the impurities to form purified methyl or ethyl esters;
• iv) transesterifying the purified methyl or ethyl esters with or without esterification catalyst with C4 to C14 alcohol at a temperature from 100° C. to 350° C. and a pressure at or above ambient pressure to form aromatic esters of the following Formulas 3(a) and/or 3(b):
• where R1 and R2 are as previously defined and R4 is an alkyl residual of C4 to C14 alcohol.

A method for producing aromatic polyesters, comprising:

• i) providing one or more feed compound(s) and one or more impurities, the feed compound(s) having the following Formula 1(b):
• where R1 is a hydrogen or an alkyl, R2 is a hydrogen or an alkyl, the impurities comprising one or more of aldehydes, acetates, aldehyde-acids, acetate-acids, and color body impurity precursors;
• ii) esterifying the feed compound(s) without esterification catalyst with methyl or ethyl alcohol at a temperature from 100° C. to 350° C. and a pressure ≥100 psig to form methyl or ethyl esters of the following Formula 2(b):
• where R1 and R2 are as previously defined and R3 is an alkyl residual of the methyl or ethyl alcohol;
• iii) separating the methyl or ethyl esters from substantially all the impurities to form purified methyl or ethyl esters;
• and
• iv) transesterifying the purified methyl or ethyl esters with or without esterification catalyst with one or more diols and, optionally, dimethyl terephthalate at a temperature from 100° C. to 350° C. and a pressure at or above ambient pressure to form polyesters.