Block copolymers include hydrophobic and hydrophilic blocks having repeating units derived from ring opening polymerization of one or more cyclic carbonate monomers. The carbonate monomers are independently selected from compounds of formula (II): wherein each Q′ and Qa group independently represents a hydrogen, an alkyl group, a halide, a carboxy group, an ester group, an amide group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, or a foregoing Q′ or Qa group substituted with a carboxy group or an ester group, at least one Q′ and Qa group includes an ester group; each Y independently represents O, S, NH, or NQ″; n is an integer from 0 to 6, wherein when n is 0, carbons labeled 4 and 6 are linked together by a single bond; each Q″ group independently represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a foregoing Q″ group substituted with a carboxy group, or an ester group.