Method for purifying 1,1-bis(4′-hydroxy-3′-methylphenyl)cyclohexane and methods of producing polycarbonates therefrom

A method of producing a polycarbonate comprising:

• melt reacting a reaction mixture at a temperature from about a melting temperature of the reaction mixture to about 350° C. to produce a polycarbonate product, the reaction mixture comprising:
• a catalyst composition selected from the group consisting of alkali metal compounds, alkaline earth metal compounds, tetraorganoammonium compounds, tetraorganophosphonium compounds, and mixtures comprising one or more of the foregoing catalysts;
• a carbonic acid diester of the formula (ZO)2 C═O, wherein each Z is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, 2,4-dichlorophenyl, 2,4,5-trichlorophenyl, 2-cyantophenyl, o-nitrophenyl, (2-methoxycarbonyl)phenyl;
• (2-ethoxycarbonyl) phenyl);
• tolyl, m-cresyl, naphthyl, ethyl, methyl, butyl, cyclohexyl, and combinations comprising one or more of the foregoing groups;
• a second crystalline product of 1,1-bis(4′-hydroxy-3′-methylphenyl) cyclohexane formed by dissolving said 1,1-bis(4′-hydroxy-3′-methylphenyl) cyclohexane in a first solvent consisting essentially of water and an alcohol to form a first solution;
• crystallizing said 1,1-bis(4′-hydroxy-3′-methylphenyl) cyclohlexane from said first solution to produce a first crystalline product;
• dissolving said first crystalline product in a second solvent comprising a compound having a formula R1R2(C6H3)R3 to form a second solution;
• and crystallizing said 1,1-bis(4′-hydroxy-3′-methylphenyl)cyclohexane from said second solution to produce the second crystalline product;
• and
• at least one aromatic dihydroxy compound comonomer having the formula
• HO—A2—OH,
• wherein A2 is selected from the group consisting of divalent substituted and unsubstituted aromatic radicals;
• and
• wherein the amount of the catalyst composition comprises about 1×10−7 to about 2×10−3 moles for each mole of the second crystalline product and the at least one aromatic dihydroxy compound comonomer;
• and the carbonic acid diester comprises a mole ratio of about 0.95 to about 1.30 relative to the total moles of the second crystalline product and the at least one aromatic dihydroxy compound comonomer.

A method of producing a polycarbonate comprising:

• interfacially reacting a reaction mixture at a temperature from about 5° C. to about 50° C., and an initial pH from about 9.5 to about 11.0 to produce a polycarbonate product, the reaction mixture comprising:
• phosgene,
• a substituted or an unsubstituted monohydric phenol having the formula R5(C6H4)OH, wherein R5 comprises hydrogen and C1-C12 linear and branched alkyl and cycloalkyl groups;
• a tertiary amine having the formula R6R7R8N, wherein R6, R7, and R8 selected from C1-C12 linear and branched alkyl radicals;
• at least one halogen-containing hydrocarbon solvent;
• water,
• an alkali metal hydroxide selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide, and cesium hydroxide;
• a second crystalline product of 1,1-bis(4′-hydroxy-3′-methylphenyl) cyclohexane formed by dissolving said 1,1-bis(4′-hydroxy-3′-methylphenyl) cyclohexane in a first solvent consisting essentially of water and an alcohol to form a first solution;
• crystallizing said 1,1-bis(4′-hydroxy-3′-methylphenyl) cyclohexane from said first solution to produce a first crystalline product;
• dissolving said first crystalline product in a second solvent comprising a compound having theformula R1R2(C6H3)R3 to form a second solution;
• and crystallizing said 1,1-bis(4′-hydroxy-3′-methylphenyl)cyclohexane from said second solution to produce the second crystalline product;
• at least one aromatic dihydroxy compound comonomer having the formula:
• HO—A2—OH,
• wherein A2 is selected from the group consisting of divalent substituted and unsubstituted aromatic radicals;
• and
• wherein the phosgene is used in an amount from about stoichiometric to about 50 mole percent excess relative to the total moles of second crystalline product and the at least one aromatic dihydroxy compound comonomer.