Abstract: Emulsion formation is minimized or prevented and hydrolytic product degradation is suppressed during purification of impure bisphenol-A bis(diphenylphosphate). This is accomplished by forming a hydrocarbon solution of bisphenol-A bis(diphenylphosphate) plus impurities in a solvent comprising at least one aromatic hydrocarbon and at least one paraffinic hydrocarbon. Optionally, but preferably, this solution is washed with water or an aqueous buffer solution. Next, the hydrocarbon solution is washed one or more times with an aqueous alkaline washing solution that has a specific gravity that differs from the specific gravity of the hydrocarbon solution by at least about 0.05 gram per cubic centimeter. After each washing the mixture settles into a purified organic phase and a separate aqueous phase, and these phases are separated from each other.

Abstract: Palladium-catalyzed arylation of an olefin (e.g., ethylene) with an aromatic halide (e.g., 2-bromo-6-methoxynaphthalene, m-bromobenzophenone, or 4-isobutyl-1-bromobenzene) is conducted in specified media. After a special acid or base phase separation procedure, palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of the olefinically-substituted aromatic intermediate is conducted in specified media using CO and water or an alcohol to form arylalkylcarboxylic acid or ester or substituted arylalkylcarboxylic acid or ester (e.g., racemic 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl)propionic acid, 2-(3-benzoylphenyl)propionic acid, or 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propionic acid). Catalyst recovery procedures enabling recycle of catalyst residues and efficient recovery of amine hydrogen halide scavenger and solvent used in the arylation reaction are described, as well as novel, highly efficient methods of conducting the carbonylation reaction.