The polycarbonates may be branched by the incorporation of small quantities of polyhydroxy compounds, e.g. from 0.05 to 2.0 mol % thereof, (based on the quantity of bis-phenols used). Polycarbonates of this kind have been described, for example, in German Offenlegungsschriften No. 1,570,533, No. 2,116,974 and No. 2,113,347, in British patent specifications No. 885,442 and No. 1,079,821 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,514. Suitable polyhydroxy compounds include, for example, phloroglucinol, 4,6-dimethyl-2,4,6-tri-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-heptane, 1,3,5-tri-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-benzene, 1,1,1-tri-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethane, tri-(4-hydroxphenyl)phenylmethane, 2,2-bis-[4,4-(4,4'-di-hydroxydiphenyl)-cyclohexy]-propane, 2,4-bis-)4-hydroxyphenyl-4-isopropyl)-phenol, 2,6-bis-(2'-hydroxy-5'-methyl-benzyl)-4-methyl-phenol, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-propane and 1,4-bis-(4', 4"-dihydroxy-triphenyl-methyl)-benzene.
