Method of making glycerol carbonate (meth)acrylate and curable compositions based thereon

Glycerol carbonate methacrylate may be prepared by reacting glycerol monomethacrylate and a carbonate such as a dialkyl carbonate in the presence of a catalyst and may be combined with an actinic radiation-curable oligomer, such as a (meth)acrylate-functionalized oligomer, and possibly other components to provide compositions capable of being cured, for example by exposure to actinic radiation, to obtain polymeric materials, such as 3D printed articles. The glycerol carbonate methacrylate reduces the viscosity of the composition, which may in the absence of the glycerol carbonate methacrylate be too high for the curable composition to be readily processed at room temperature, but additionally can impart a variety of other useful attributes to the curable compositions and cured products derived therefrom.