[4] World production capacity of diphenyl carbonate was 254,000 tonnes in 2002, and phosgenation of phenol is the most significant route.

The net reaction is as follows: The use of phosgene can be avoided by the oxidative carbonylation of phenol with carbon monoxide:[2] Dimethyl carbonate can also be transesterified with phenol: The kinetics and thermodynamics of this reaction are not favorable.

For example, at higher temperatures, dimethyl carbonate undesirably methylates phenol to give anisole.

[2] Despite this, diphenyl carbonate made from non-phosgene sources has become a widely used raw material for the synthesis of bisphenol-A-polycarbonate in a melt polycondensation process.

[6] Polycarbonates can be prepared by transesterifying diphenyl carbonate with bisphenol A. Phenol is a co-product.