Investigation of the reaction of some unsaturated dicarboxylic acid anhydrides with cyclic carbonates

This work reports attempts to extend to unsaturated anhydrides the rapid reaction of dicarboxylic acid anhydrides with ethylene carbonate to form polymer directly. The reaction of unsaturated diacid anhydrides with two cyclic carbonates, ethylene and propylene carbonate, leads to gelled products whenever the anhydride is capable of Michael addition, while an anhydride without such unsaturation gave linear polymer in- stead. The GC/MS results, along with efforts to trap radical reactions, support Michael addition as an explanation of gelation in these systems.