Processes comprising: transesterifying a dialkyl carbonate and an aromatic hydroxyl compound in the presence of a transesterification catalyst to provide a diaryl carbonate product comprising the transesterification catalyst as an impurity; subjecting the diaryl carbonate product to distillation in a first distillation column having an upper part and a lower part, wherein the upper part comprises a rectifying section and the lower part comprises a stripping section; and withdrawing a first sidestream from the first distillation column, wherein the first sidestream comprises a purified diaryl carbonate.