Abstract: Bromide source such as alkali metal bromide, alkaline earth metal bromide, or onium bromide, present as part of a catalyst mixture in an organic oxidative carbonylation mixture further comprising diaryl carbonate and a hydroxyaromatic compound, is often at least partially converted to organic bromide such as bromophenols. The bromide source can be recycled after reaction through treatment with an aqueous acidic bromide solution such as hydrogen bromide, preferably after removal of a major proportion of hydroxyaromatic compound such as phenol.

Abstract: An improved method for producing an aromatic carbonate by reacting an aromatic hydroxy compound, carbon monoxide and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst system comprising at least one of palladium or a palladium compound; at least one lead compound; at least one halide source; and at least one desiccant, wherein the ratio of equivalents of lead co-catalyst relative to equivalents of palladium catalyst is optimized to increase reaction rate, as well as to allow production of aromatic carbonate in an economically feasible continuous process.