3,5-Diacetoxybenzoic acid was polycondensed at temperatures in the range of 200-250 degreesC either in the absence of a catalyst or with addition of MgO or SnCl,. The highest molecular weight was obtained in the absence of a catalyst. The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectra revealed the formation of cyclic hyperbranched polyesters. The content of polyesters with cyclic core increased with higher conversions, and thus, with higher molecular weights. Furthermore, a loss of acetyl groups was found to be a significant side reaction. The same side reactions were found when trimethylsilyl 3,5-bisacetoxybenzoate was polycondensed at 280 or 310 degreesC. Model reactions concerning the deacetylation mechanism were performed and the results are discussed. Size exclusion chromatography measurements in two different solvents proved that the high-molecular-weight fraction is not the result of aggregation via hydrogen bonds. Yet, the nature of the solvent, the profile of the columns, and the character of the detector had a significant influence on the shape of the elution curves and on the apparent molecular weights. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.