Method for producing a high quality aromatic polycarbonate

1. A method for producing a high quality aromatic polycarbonate having a number average molecular weight of from 5,000 to 100,000, which is free from discoloration and exhibits both (1) a small variation in molecular weight and (2) a small variation of ∓1% in terminal hydroxyl group ratio; which method comprises subjecting to molten state polymerization a mixture of an aromatic dihydroxy compound and a diaryl carbonate in the presence of a catalyst,

said mixture of the aromatic dihydroxy compound and the diaryl carbonate being obtained by a mixing step in which an aromatic dihydroxy compound and a catalyst, each being in at least one state selected from the group consisting of a solid state and a liquid state, are added to a diaryl carbonate in a molten state in the presence of an inert gas, wherein said inert gas has an oxygen concentration of not more than 10 ppm, thereby dissolving said aromatic dihydroxy compound and said catalyst in said molten diaryl carbonate,

wherein said mixing step is performed at a temperature of from 80 to 250° C. in which the molar ratio of the diaryl carbonate to the aromatic dihydroxy compound is in the range of from 1.05 to 1.20, wherein the molar ratio has a tolerable variation in the range of ±0.005,

wherein the mixing in said mixing step is accompanied by a transesterification reaction between said aromatic dihydroxy compound and said diaryl carbonate, wherein the conversion of the aromatic dihydroxy compound is from 10 to 80%, and

wherein, before said mixing step, said aromatic dihydroxy compound is treated with an inert gas having an oxygen concentration of not more than 10 ppm.