A method for the preparation of heterobifunctional biodegradable dendrimers is described involving the preparation of a symmetric aliphatic ester dendrimer derived from 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propanoic acid bearing a cyclic carbonate periphery, followed by opening of the carbonate moieties with a functional amine. This approach requiring no chromatographic purification steps was demonstrated with the preparation of a dendrimer bearing eight protected aldehydes and eight alkynes at its periphery.