A method for preparing an oxydiphthalic anhydride comprises contacting, under reactive and substantially anhydrous conditions in a reactor, at least one halophthalic anhydride containing more than 250 ppm chlorophthalide impurity with a carbonate of the formula M2CO3, wherein M is an alkali metal, in the presence of a catalytic proportion of at least one phase transfer catalyst selected from the group consisting of hexaalkylguanidinium halides and alpha,omega-bis(pentaalkylguanidinium)alkane salts, phosphonium salts, phosphazenium salts, pyridinium salts, phosphazenium salts, ammonium salts, and combinations thereof. The phase transfer catalyst is present in a sufficient amount to prepare the oxydiphthalic anhydride when the chlorophthalide is present in an amount that is more than 250 ppm, and the oxydiphthalic anhydride is produced in a yield, based on the carbonate, of at least 70%.