The interfacial polycarbonate reactions. I. Defining the critical process parameters

Polycarbonate is prepared by the interfacial phosgenation and polycondensation of bisphenol A (BPA) in methylene chloride with caustic using triethylamine as a catalyst. In a typical batch reactor, where phosgenation and oligomerization proceed simultaneously, the critical process parameters are intermingled and are difficult to determine. Therefore, a semicontinuous process consisting of a series of static mixers for continuous phosgenation, followed by a batch reactor for oligomerization and polycondensation, was developed for better understanding of the reaction mechanisms. Phosgene hydrolysis was reduced greatly going from a batch to a continuous reactor (excess phosgene was reduced from 30 to 5%). Variables which influence the composition of intermediates are linear velocity, organic to aqueous volume ratio, PH (BPA to NaOH ratio), and phosgene to BPA ratio. These variables also affect BPA conversion, amount of phosgene hydrolysis, terminator capping efficiency, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution of the resulted polycarbonate. Oligomerization takes place at the interface, and monochloroformates (HO‐Bn‐OCOCI) which contain both hydrophilic and lipophilic end groups, stay at the interface and, hence, react preferentially. Oligomers are analyzed by a newly developed HPLC technique.