Process for preparing branched aromatic polycarbonates

A process for the production of a branched aromatic polycarbonate, the process comprising:

• reacting a diarylcarbonate and a polyhydric alcohol in the presence of an alkaline catalyst to produce a polycarbonate oligomer;
• adding a branching agent and a carbonic acid diester to the polycarbonate oligomer, wherein the branching agent comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of formula (X):
• AGy (I)
• wherein A is a C1-20 polymethylene, C2-20 alkylene or alkylidene, C5-36 cycloalkylene or cycloalkylidene, C6-36 arylene or alkylarylene, or C6-36 arylalkylene, wherein G is all aromatic moiety having at least one hydroxyl group bonded directly to the aromatic group and y is an integer greater than 2, wherein each G may be the same or different, and wherein the carbonic acid diester comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of formula (IV):
• wherein R1 and R2 may be the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of phenyl, C6-20 aryl, and C6-20 arylalkyl groups;
• and
• producing a branched aromatic polycarbonate having a melt index ratio greater than a branched aromatic polycarbonate produced from the polycarbonate oligomer without the addition of the branching agent and the carbonic acid diester.