Patent ID: 8518231

Claim:
A process for producing diaryl carbonate and processing of at least a part of a resulting alkali-metal-chloride-containing solution in a downstream alkali metal chloride electrolysis comprising: a) producing phosgene by reacting chlorine with carbon monoxide; b) reacting said phosgene with at least one monophenol in the presence of a base and optionally basic catalyst to form a diaryl carbonate and an alkali-metal-chloride-containing solution; c) separating off and working up said diaryl carbonate; d) separating off said alkali-metal-chloride-containing solution from solvent residues and optionally catalyst residues; e) electrochemically oxidizing at least a part of said separated alkali-metal-chloride-containing solution to form chlorine, alkali solution, and optionally hydrogen; f) recycling at least a part of said chlorine to a); and/or g) recycling at least a part of said alkali solution to b); wherein at least a part of said separated alkali-metal-chloride-containing solution is recycled to b).