The aliphatic polycarbonate glycols are prepared from aliphatic diols and phosgene or aliphatic diols and a dialkyl carbonate: wherein R is a straight-chain or branched-chain alkylene radical containing from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, R is an alkyl radical containing from 1 to 6 carbons and x is an integer selected to give a polycarbonate having a molecular weight of about 500 to about 5000.