Compounds and methods for preparing 2-aryl-3-(aminoaryl)-3-(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidines having a formula of: ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 is independently selected from a group consisting of a hydrocarbyl radical, a nitro radical, and a halogen atom; "a" is an integer from 0 4; and Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 are each independently an aromatic radical, are disclosed. The 2-aryl-3-(aminoaryl)-3-(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine compounds are useful for preparing other useful monomers and polymers.
A method for purifying a 2-aryl-3,3-bis(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine comprises contacting a crude 2-aryl-3,3-bis(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine with a purification agent, removing a 2-aryl-3-(aminoaryl)-3-(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine compound from the crude 2-aryl-3,3-bis(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine, and producing a purified 2-aryl-3,3-bis(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine product comprising less than 200 parts per million of the 2-aryl-3-(aminoaryl)-3-(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine compound. The purification agent is selected from the group consisting of an acidic material, an organic acid chloride, an organic anhydride, or a combination thereof. The 2-aryl-3-(aminoaryl)-3-(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine compound has a formula: ##STR00001## wherein each R.sup.1 is independently selected from a group consisting of a hydrocarbyl radical, a nitro radical, and a halogen atom; "a" is an integer from 0 to 4; and Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 are independently at each occurrence an aromatic radical. The purified 2-aryl-3,3-bis(hydroxyaryl)phthalimidines have low color, and are useful for preparing polymers, such as polycarbonates having a low color. The polycarbonates are useful for producing articles.
