A two-stage new method was developed to make polycarbonates involving : (i) preparation of a prepolymer (polycarbonate oligomers), M = 4870-5560; (ii) its condensation to a high-M polycarbonate. The prepolymer was prepared by catalytic distillation in a SiO2-supported Tio(2)-packed column of (1:1.6-1:3.5 by motes) PhOH-bisphenol A (BPA) mixtures with 50 mL CO(OMe)(2)/h over 0.01-0.015 mol Ti(IV) butoxide/mol BPA as catalyst. The stage-one degree of conversion of BPA must exceed 99% to ensure a high-M polycarbonate. This new-method prepolymer contained little unconverted BPA and had property data similar to those of the prepolymer prepared from diphenyl carbonate and BPA.