Trimethylene carbonate

Trimethylene carbonate or 1,3-propylene carbonate is a 6-membered cyclic carbonate ester. It is a colourless solid that upon heating or catalytic ring-opening converts to the poly(trimethylene carbonate). Such polymers are called aliphatic polycarbonates are of interest for potential biomedical applications. An isomeric derivative is propylene carbonate, a colourless liquid that does not spontaneously polymerize. Trimethylene carbonate or 1,3-propylene carbonate is a 6-membered cyclic carbonate ester. It is a colourless solid that upon heating or catalytic ring-opening converts to the poly(trimethylene carbonate). Such polymers are called aliphatic polycarbonates are of interest for potential biomedical applications. An isomeric derivative is propylene carbonate, a colourless liquid that does not spontaneously polymerize. This compound may be prepared from 1,3-propanediol and ethyl chloroformate (a phosgene substitute), or from oxetane and carbon dioxide with an appropriate catalyst: This cyclic carbonate undergoes ring-opening polymerization to give poly(trimethylene carbonate), abbreviated PTC. The polymer PTC is of commercial interest as a biodegradable polymer with biomedical applications.