Process for production of aromatic carbonate

A process for the production of an aromatic carbonate, comprising:

• continuously feeding an aliphatic carbonate represented by following general formula (1) as a starting material, an aromatic monohydroxy compound represented by following general formula (2) as a reactant, and a metal-containing catalyst into a stage above a bottom of a first multi-stage distillation column so as to bring about reaction;
• and
• continuously withdrawing from a reaction system in a gaseous form a low boiling point component containing an alcohol by-produced in the reaction, and continuously withdrawing from a lower portion of the column in a liquid form an aromatic carbonate represented by following general formula (3) obtained from the starting material and the reactant,
• Ar1OH (2),
• wherein R1 in general formulae (1) and (2) represents an aliphatic group having 4 to 6 carbon atoms, and Ar1 represents an aromatic group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms,
• wherein R2 and Ar2 in general formula (3) are the same as R1 and Ar1 in the starting material and the reactant, respectively,
• wherein said metal-containing catalyst is dissolved in a liquid phase in said reaction, or is present in a liquid form during said reaction, and said metal-containing catalyst comprises an organic titanate having at least one Ti—O—Ti linkage therein.