Process and products of purification of anhydrosugar alcohols

The present disclosure relates to a process for the purification of anhydrosugar alcohols by distillation and/or recrystallization in the presence of an aliphatic alcohol, and the products of the purification, which are desirably greater than 99.0% pure and, even upon thermal treatment, are substantially colorless. A process for the formation of a purified anhydrosugar alcohol is disclosed, whereby the resultant purified anhydrosugar alcohol has a purity of at least 99.8% and is substantially colorless. The anhydrosugar alcohol is purified by distillation, recrystallization from methanol, ethanol or ethylene glycol, melt recrystallization, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the purification is by distillation followed by recrystallization from methanol, ethanol or ethylene glycol. A test for determining the purity of the anhydrosugar alcohol is disclosed, wherein the color of the anhydrosugar alcohol after annealing at a temperature of at least 260° C. for at least four hours is examined. Alternatively, purity can be determined by examination of ultraviolet (UV) transmittance of the purified anhydrosugar alcohol at various wavelengths. The purified anhydrosugar alcohol may be incorporated into a polymer such as a polyester, which may in turn be used to form such articles of manufacturing as containers, optical disks, fibers, sheets and films.