Communication: Phenoxycarbonyloxymethyl ethylene carbonate 4 was synthesized from glycerol carbonate and phenyl chloroformate. Polyurethanes with pendant hydroxyl groups were obtained from polycondensation reactions of this AA* monomer with diamines. These polymers contain primary as well as secondary hydroxyl groups. The obtained polyurethanes are amorphous materials. The glass transition temperature decreases with increasing number of methylene groups between the urethane groups.

On the basis of glycerol carbonate, four coupling reagents 3a‐d were prepared. Their synthesis and characterisation, starting from glycerol carbonate 2, is described. To evaluate the differences in reactivity these couplers were reacted with valine methyl ester and the results were compared with the already known coupler 3a. Reaction conditions influenced the conversion of the couplers 3a‐d containing phenyl, 4‐nitrophenyl, imidazolyl and acetone oxime leaving groups; highest conversion and fastest reaction rates were obtained with 3b. The coupling reagents 3a and b were used for the synthesis of functional carbonate building blocks from amino acid methyl esters and glucosamine.

Chitosan surfactants were prepared in a three‐step reaction starting with glycol chitosan (GC) and chitosan oligosaccharides (COS). In the case of GC, water‐insoluble products were obtained, the functionalisation of which were proven via IR spectroscopy. Starting with COS, a broad variety of products with different ratios of ionic and hydrophobic side chains were prepared and characterised by NMR and partially by IR spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability of functionalised COS did not change. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) was determined from surface tension measurements to be 0.01 mg · mL−1 for a sample of ionic to hydrophobic units of 1:1.magnified image