The synthesis of hyperbranched polyester-amides based on pentaerythritol (PETL) as a core molecule and AB(2) monomer containing one carboxylic group and two hydroxylic groups using core-dilution/slow monomer addition strategy have been studied. The AB2 monomer was prepared by diisopropanolamine (DIPA) and cis-1,2-clyclohexane-dicarboxylic anhydride (HHPA). Two types of hyperbranched polyester-amide (1G-HP,2G-HP) were obtained with the molar ratio of AB2 monomer and pentacrythritol (PETL) was 4 and 8, respectively. The structures of products were characterized by IR, C-13 NMR, GPC and viscosity measurement. It was shown that the hyperbranched polymers prepared had high degree of branching (DB) and narrow molecular weight distribution. As for 1G-HP and 2G-HP, the intrinsic viscosity [eta] was 4.32 ml/g and 5.29 ml/g, and the viscometric radius Rv was1.28 nm and 1.67 nm, respectively. The results of viscosity measurement indicated that the structures of 1G-HP and 2G-HP were compacted and had a spherical conformation. In addition, the reactions of hydroxyl end-groups with polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (mPEG550) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) were conducted to provide amphiphilic and UV-curable properties of resulting polymers. The properties of the modified hyperbranched polyester-amide were also investigated initially. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.