Abstract
The effect of various phase transfer agents on the interfacial polycondensation of bisphenol A with isophthaloyl chloride was investigated. It was found that the transfer rate of bisphenolate and, thus, the reaction rate of polycondensation were increased with an increasing lipophilicity of the phase transfer agent, i. e. TBAC greater than TEBAC greater than TEAC, whereas the equilibrium of bisphenolate between the organic phase and the aqueous phase was hardly affected. Moreover, experimental evidence indicated that a phase transfer agent of high lipophilicity reduced the hydrolysis of the acid chloride, an important aspect in interfacial polycondensation.