A series of aliphatic polyesters based on tartaric acid and its derivatives were synthesized starting from naturally occurring L-tartaric acid. The hydroxyl groups of the tartaric acid derivatives were first protected and the polyesters were synthesized by bulk and solution polycondensation methods. Two classes of polyesters were synthesized and characterized, the first by polycondensation of dimethyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-L-tartrate with various alkanediols, and the second by reaction of 2,3-O-isopropylidene-L-threitol with various diacid chlorides. Acid catalyzed deprotection of isopropylidene groups gave well-defined polyesters having pendant hydroxyl functional groups regularly distributed along the polymer chain. The number average molecular weights (Me) of the polymers were found to vary in the range of 2.3-15.7 x 10(3) g mol(-1). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed the glass transition temperatures (T-g) of the polyesters varied from -36.1 degrees C to 17.9 degrees C on varying the chain length. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.