Diphenol compound, aromatic polycarbonate and electrophotoconductive photoconductor

A polycarbonate resin comprising a recurring unit represented by the following formula (6):

• wherein Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd stand for an alkyl group, Ar3 stands for an aryl group or a substituted aryl group, Z stands for an arylene group or —Ar6—Za—Ar6— where Ar6 represents an arylene group or a substituted arylene group and Za represents —O—, —S— or an alkylene group, R and R′ stand, independently from each other, for a straight chain alkylene group or a branched alkylene group, n is an integer of 0 or 1 and X stands for a group selected from the group consisting of divalent aliphatic groups, substituted divalent aliphatic groups, divalent alicyclic groups, substituted divalent alicyclic groups, divalent aromatic groups, substituted divalent aromatic groups, divalent groups obtained by linking at least two of the foregoing groups and groups represented by the following formulas:
• wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 stand, independently from each other, for an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an aryl group, a substituted aryl group or a halogen atom, a and b are independently an integer of 0-4, c and d are independently an integer of 0-3, Y is selected from the group consisting of a direct bond, straight chain alkylene groups having 2-12 carbon atoms, substituted straight chain alkylene groups having 2-12 carbon atoms, branched chain alkylene groups having 3-12 carbon atoms, substituted branched chain alkylene groups having 3-12 carbon atoms, divalent groups composed of at least one alkylene group having 1-10 carbon atoms and at least one —O— or at least one —S—, —O—, —S—, —SO—, —SO2—, —CO—, —COO— and groups represented by the following formulas:
• wherein Z1 and Z2 stand independently from each other for a divalent aliphatic group, a substituted divalent aliphatic group, an arylene group or a substituted arylene group;
• R5, R6 and R12 stand independently from each other for a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxyl group, a substituted alkoxyl group, an aryl group or a substituted aryl group, R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 stand independently from each other for a hydrogen atom, R6 and R7 may form a carbocyclic ring having 5 to 12 carbon atoms together, R13 and R14 stand independently from each other for a direct bond or an alkylene group having 1-4 carbon atoms, R15 and R16 stand independently from each other an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an aryl group or a substituted aryl group, e and g are each an integer of 0-4, f is an integer of 1 or 2, h is an integer of 0-20 and i is an integer of 0-2000.

An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer provided on said support and comprising a polycarbonate resin having a recurring unit represented by the following formula (6):

• wherein Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd stand for an alkyl group, Ar3 stands for an aryl group or a substituted aryl group, Z stands for an arylene group or —Ar6—Za—Ar6— where Ar6 represents an arylene group or a substituted arylene group and Za represents —O—, —S— or an alkylene group, R and R′ stand, independently from each other, for a straight chain alkylene group or a branched alkylene group, n is an integer of 0 or 1 and X stands for a group selected from the group consisting of divalent aliphatic groups, substituted divalent aliphatic groups, divalent alicyclic groups, substituted divalent alicyclic groups, divalent aromatic groups, substituted divalent aromatic groups, divalent groups obtained by linking at least two of the foregoing groups and groups represented by the following formulas:
• wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 stand, independently from each other, for an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an aryl group, a substituted aryl group or a halogen atom, a and b are independently an integer of 0-4, c and d are independently an ingeger of 0-3, Y is selected from the group consisting of a direct bond, straight chain alkylene groups having 2-12 carbon atoms, substituted straight chain alkylene groups having 2-12 carbon atoms, branched chain alkylene groups having 3-12 carbon atoms, substituted branched chain alkylene groups having 3-12 carbon atoms, divalent groups composed of at least one alkylene group having 1-10 carbon atoms and at least one —O— or at least one —S—, —O—, —S—, —SO—, —SO2—, —CO—, —COO— and groups represented by the following formulas:
• wherein Z1 and Z2 stand independently from each other for a divalent aliphatic group, a substituted divalent aliphatic group, an arylene group or a substituted arylene group;
• R5, R6 and R12 stand independently from each other for a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkoxyl group, a substituted alkoxyl group, an aryl group or a substituted aryl group, R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 stand independently from each other for a hdyrogen atom, R6 and R7 may form a carbocyclic ring having 5 to 12 carbon atoms together, R13 and R14 stand independently from each other for a direct bond or an alkylene group having 1-4 carbon atoms, R15 and R16 stand independently from each other an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an aryl group or a substituted aryl group, e and g are each an integer of 0-4, f is an integer of 1 or 2, h is an integer of 0-20 and i is an integer of 0-2000.