The invention includes an UV absorbing complex
polyol polyester polymer that is the product of a
reaction scheme that includes: (i) the esterification of a
polyol and a dianhydride, wherein the esterification is carried out under conditions that facilitate substantially only anhydride opening, to form a
polyester polymer comprising at least two pendant carboxylic groups, and at least two hydroxyl groups; and (ii) the reaction of at least one pendant
carboxylic group and at least one terminal hydroxyl group of the
polyester polymer with an
epoxide having a functional group, wherein the
epoxide comprises an UV absorbing
moiety.Also included are linear UV absorbing complex
polyol polyester polymers represented by Formula (XI):wherein R3 is independently selected from an UV absorbing
moiety; R4 and R5 are each independently selected from a
hydrocarbon group, and n is an integer of 1 to 1000.A crosslinked UV absorbing complex polyol polyester polymer that is
reaction product of a random copolyesterification
esterification reaction and / or the esterification product of: a monofunctional
carboxylic acid and / or ester that comprises an UV absorbing
moiety, at least one of a
diol, a polyol, a diacid and / or an ester is also included within the scope of the invention. The resulting polymer has an UV absorbing functionality of greater than 2.0.