Bisphenol A → Carbonic acid;4-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-2-yl]phenol

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

0.20 mol bisphenol A, 0.21 mol diphenyl carbonate, 3×10-6 mol tetrabutyl ammonium bibenzoate and 4×10-3 mol phenyl benzoate are taken in a 250 ml glass reactor equipped with stirrer, nitrogen inlet and distillation assembly. Under the blanket of nitrogen the contents in the reactor were heated by means of thermostatically controlled furnace to 160° C. for 11/2 hr. Subsequently, the temperature was increased to 230° C. and pressure reduced from atmospheric to 100 mm Hg, and on keeping constant the temperature and pressure for one hour, about 80% phenol was collected. Maintaining the temperature at 230° C., the pressure was decreased sequentially in a following way: 80 mm, 1/2 hour; 60 mm, 1/2 hour; 40 mm, 1/2 hour; 20 mm, 1/2 hour; 10 mm, 1/2 hour and 1 mm, 1/2 hour. It was then observed that phenol removal was almost quantitative. Finally reaction mixture was heated to 280° C. at 1 mm for one hour to remove any residual phenol. The polymer, bisphenol A polycarbonate obtained in 99% yield was colorfree and its relative viscosity measured in chloroform at 25° C. in an ubbelohde viscometer was 1.26.

Provenance & Evidence