Process for producing raw polycarbonate resin material and producing polycarbonate resin

• US 6,476,179 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited)
• Inventors: Ito, Hajime, Suwa, Akio, Kohiruimaki, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Boykin, Terressa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/926,501
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 528/196, 528/198
• US Class Current: 528/196
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 37/66 by conversion of hydroxy groups to O-metal groups
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 39/235 Metal derivatives of a hydroxy group bound to a six-membered aromatic ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 64/24 and phenols

Abstract

The invention relates to an inexpensive and simple method for producing a starting material for polycarbonate resin and for producing polycarbonate resin. In the method for producing a starting material for polycarbonate resin production through interfacial polymerization, (I) a molten bisphenol compound is mixed and dissolved in an aqueous alkali solution at 20 to 80° C., or (II) it is, without being solidified, directly mixed with water to be in liquid at a temperature not higher than the melting point of the bisphenol compound, and then dissolved in an aqueous alkali solution.

Claims

1. A method for producing a starting material for polycarbonate resin production, comprising:

preparing a melt of a bisphenol compound in a process of bisphenol compound production; and

mixing and dissolving the molten bisphenol compound in an aqueous alkali solution at 20 to 80°

C., thereby preparing a bisphenol starting material for the production of a polycarbonate resin by interfacial polymerization.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bisphenol compound is a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)alkane.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bisphenol compound is a 4,4′

-dihydroxybiphenyl, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane, a bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)methane, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane, a bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethane, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)butane, a bis(hydroxyphenyl)alkane, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ether, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfide, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfoxide, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfone, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ketone, a bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene, a dihydroxy-p-terphenyl, a bis(hydroxyphenyl)pyrazine, a bis(hydroxyphenyl)menthane, a bis[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propyl]benzene, a dihdroxynaphthalene or a dihydroxybenzene.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alkali solution is a solution of an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the alkali solution contains a reducing agent in an amount of 10 to 1,000 ppm by weight of the aqueous alkali solution.

6. A method for producing a polycarbonate resin, comprising:

preparing a melt of a bisphenol compound in a process of bisphenol compound production;

mixing and dissolving the molten bisphenol compound in an aqueous alkali solution at 20 to 80°

C.; and

the

conducting interfacial polymerization employing the prepared bisphenol containing aqueous solution as a reactant, thereby preparing a polycarbonate resin product.

7. The method according to claim 6, which comprises reacting the solution of bisphenol compound with phosgene.

8. A method for producing a starting material for polycarbonate resin production, comprising:

preparing a melt of a bisphenol compound in a process of bisphenol compound production; and

without solidification of the melt, mixing the molten bisphenol compound into liquid water at a temperature higher than the melting point of the bisphenol compound; and

then

dissolving the water solution obtained in an aqueous alkali solution.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the bisphenol compound is a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)alkane.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the bisphenol compound is a 4,4′

-dihydroxybiphenyl, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane, a bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)methane, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane, a bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethane, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)butane, a bis(hydroxyphenyl)alkane, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ether, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfide, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfoxide, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfone, a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ketone, a bis(hydroxyphenyl)fluorene, a dihydroxy-p-terphenyl, a bis(hydroxyphenyl)pyrazine, a bis(hydroxyphenyl)menthane, a bis[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propyl]benzene, a dihydroxynaphthalene or a dihydroxybenzene.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the liquid water is at a temperature ranging from 98 to 155°

C.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein, when the bisphenol is 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane and mixed with the liquid water at the temperature of 98°

C., the ratio of water to the mixture ranges from 18 to 85% by weight.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein, when the alkali solution is a solution of an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the temperature of the aqueous alkali solution ranges from 20 to 80°

C.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein the alkali solution contains a reducing agent in an amount of 10 to 1,000 ppm by weight of the aqueous alkali solution.

16. A method for producing a polycarbonate resin, comprising:

preparing a melt of a bisphenol compound in a process of bisphenol compound production;

without solidification of the melt, mixing the molten bisphenol compound into liquid water at a temperature higher than the melting point of the bisphenol compound;

dissolving the water solution obtained in an aqueous alkali solution; and

then

conducting interfacial polymerization employing the prepared bisphenol containing aqueous alkali solution as a reactant, thereby preparing a polycarbonate resin product.

17. The method according to claim 16, which comprises reacting the solution of bisphenol compound with phosgene.