Patent ID: 8309750

Claim:
A process for preparing a diaryl carbonate, comprising: (i) contacting an aromatic non-hydroxy compound with a carboxylic acid of formula HOC(═O)R 1 (I), wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group, and with an oxygen containing gas in the presence of a catalyst, resulting in water and an aromatic carboxylic acid ester of formula R 2 OC(═O)R 1 (II), wherein R 2 is an aryl group originating from the aromatic non-hydroxy compound; and (ii) contacting the aromatic carboxylic acid ester of formula (II) from step (i) with a dialkyl carbonate of formula R 3 OC(═O)OR 4 (III), wherein R 3 and R 4 are the same or different and are alkyl groups, in the presence of a catalyst, resulting in a diaryl carbonate of formula R 2 OC(═O)OR 2 (IV) and an alkyl carboxylic acid ester of formula R 5 OC(═O)R 1 (V), wherein R 5 is R 3 or R 4 .