Heterogeneous palladium–cobalt bimetal catalyst for the oxidative carbonylation of bisphenol A to polycarbonate

Polycarbonates (PCs) were prepared by the oxidative carbonylation of bisphenol A and carbon monoxide with a hydrotalcite‐supported Pd–Co complex, a Pd–Co–poly(4‐vinylpyridine) complex Pd–Co–(p‐4vpy)], a Pd–Co–polystyrene‐supported triphenylphosphine complex (Pd–Co–PS‐TPP), or a Pd–Co–polyvinylpyrrolidone complex (Pd–Co–pvp) as a heterogeneous Pd–Co bimetal catalyst to separate the PC solution and the Pd–Co bimetal catalyst after the reaction. Propylene carbonate was used as a halogen‐free solvent. Pd–Co–(p‐4vpy) and Pd–Co–PS‐TPP showed recycling potential, whereas Pd–Co–pvp, though not having recycling potential, yielded a high turnover number with a maximum of 1462. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009