Process for preparing polyurethanes containing cyclic carbonate structures, by reacting at least A) a composition containing a) compounds of the general formula containing one or more isocyanate groups and cyclic carbonate structures and b) ≤ 1% by weight, based on the total mass of the composition A), of one or more monomeric diisocyanates having aliphatically, cyclo-aliphatically, araliphatically and/or aromatically bonded isocyanate groups of the general formula, OCN-Y-NCO where R is hydrogen or a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, aliphatic radical having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, X is a linear or branched organic radical which has 1 to 36 carbon atoms and which may optionally contain ether, ester and/or carbonate groups, n is 0 or 1 and Y is a linear or branched, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic radical having 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted aromatic or araliphatic radical having 6 to 18 carbon atoms, with B) an at least difunctional polyol having a number-average molecular weight M n of 62 to 22 000 g/mol, preferably 90 to 12000 g/mol, while maintaining a ratio of equivalents of isocyanate groups to hydroxyl groups of 0.3:1 to 1.2:1. A) a composition containing a) compounds of the general formula containing one or more isocyanate groups and cyclic carbonate structures and b) ≤ 1% by weight, based on the total mass of the composition A), of one or more monomeric diisocyanates having aliphatically, cyclo-aliphatically, araliphatically and/or aromatically bonded isocyanate groups of the general formula, OCN-Y-NCO where R is hydrogen or a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, aliphatic radical having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, X is a linear or branched organic radical which has 1 to 36 carbon atoms and which may optionally contain ether, ester and/or carbonate groups, n is 0 or 1 and Y is a linear or branched, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic radical having 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted aromatic or araliphatic radical having 6 to 18 carbon atoms, with a) compounds of the general formula containing one or more isocyanate groups and cyclic carbonate structures and b) ≤ 1% by weight, based on the total mass of the composition A), of one or more monomeric diisocyanates having aliphatically, cyclo-aliphatically, araliphatically and/or aromatically bonded isocyanate groups of the general formula, OCN-Y-NCO where R is hydrogen or a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, aliphatic radical having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, X is a linear or branched organic radical which has 1 to 36 carbon atoms and which may optionally contain ether, ester and/or carbonate groups, n is 0 or 1 and Y is a linear or branched, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic radical having 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted aromatic or araliphatic radical having 6 to 18 carbon atoms, with R is hydrogen or a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, aliphatic radical having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, X is a linear or branched organic radical which has 1 to 36 carbon atoms and which may optionally contain ether, ester and/or carbonate groups, n is 0 or 1 and Y is a linear or branched, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic radical having 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted aromatic or araliphatic radical having 6 to 18 carbon atoms, with B) an at least difunctional polyol having a number-average molecular weight M n of 62 to 22 000 g/mol, preferably 90 to 12000 g/mol,