The effect of UV radiation (253.7 nm) on poly(4,4'-isopropylidine diphenylene carbonate) in the presence of air has been studied by TG, UV and IR sprctroscopy and analytical methods. Thermal degradation in air is found to be a two-step process: oxidative degradation and oxidation and char formation of the crosslinked product, with activation energies of 125 and 230 kJ mol-1, respectively. UV, IR and analytical methods suggest that polycarbonate undergoes a photo-Fries process and salicylate, benzophenone and phenyl hydroxy terminal chains are produced. The results are consistent with a photo-aging mechanism in which side chain and ring photo-oxidation occur by the photoFries process, resulting in chain scission and the crosslinked reaction.