Terpolymerization of benzyl glycidyl ether, propylene oxide, and CO₂ using binary and bifunctional [rac‐SalcyCoIIIX] complexes and the thermal and mechanical properties of the resultant poly(benzyl 1,2‐glycerol‐co‐propylene carbonate)s and poly(1,2‐glycerol‐co‐propylene carbonate)s

The terpolymerization of benzyl glycidyl ether (BGE), propylene oxide (PO), and CO 2 using both a binary [ rac ‐SalcyCo III DNP]/PPNDNP system and a bifunctional [ rac ‐SalcyCo III DNP] catalyst bearing a quaternary ammonium salt is reported. Catalyst activities range from 149 to 563 h −1 for the binary catalyst at the various monomer feeding ratios. The bifunctional catalyst shows increased activity up to 857 h −1 at higher temperature with slightly compromised polymer selectivity. The percentage of BGE or PO incorporation in the polymer chain reflects the initial feeding ratio and remains constant during the course of the reaction. A Fineman‐Ross plot determined the monomer reactivity ratio to be 1.15 and 0.93 for BGE and PO, respectively. The glass transition temperature of the terpolymers is dependent on 1,2‐glycerol carbonate (GC) content and decreases from 37 to 8°C with increasing GC content. The decomposition temperature at 5% weight loss also shows a similar dependency, and varies from 233 to 269°C. The benzyl protecting group is removed using H 2 and Pd/C to afford the poly(1,2‐glycerol‐ co ‐propylene carbonate)s (PGC‐ co ‐PC). The glass transition and decomposition temperatures as well as the mechanical properties are lower for the PGC‐ co ‐PCs compared with the corresponding values for the poly(benzyl 1,2‐glycerol‐ co ‐propylene carbonate)s.