A method of making a polycarbonate is described. The method comprises melt reacting an ester-substituted diaryl carbonate and a multifunctional compound of the formula: in the presence of catalyst to form an oligomer comprising less than 2,000 ppm of an ester-linked terminal group, and melt polymerizing the oligomer to form a polycarbonate. Use of specific reaction conditions produces a polycarbonate having an Mw of greater than or equal to 25,000 g/mol as determined by gel-permeation chromatography relative to polystyrene standards. Polycarbonates comprising units derived from the multifunctional compound, including homopolycarbonates, aliphatic copolycarbonates further comprising units derived from an aromatic dihydroxy compound, and aliphatic polycarbonate-polyesters, are also disclosed, as are a thermoplastic composition and an article including the disclosed polycarbonates.