Synthesis of sustainable sulfur‐containing polycarbonates from xylose and carbonyl sulfide

Abstract Herein, the six‐membered sulfur‐containing cyclic carbonates was successfully synthesized from d ‐ and l ‐xylose through an environmental friendly process by employing carbonyl sulfide (COS) as a sustainable C1‐carbonation agent. The ring‐opening polymerization of the monomers were rapidly initiated by bifunctional organocatalysts and alkali metal alkoxides, respectively, under ambient reaction conditions. The resultant sulfur‐containing polycarbonates exhibit high‐temperature resistance and good optical properties. This work furnishes an original and practical strategy for utilizing COS as a sulfur feedstock in biopolymer synthesis.