A series of aliphatic copolyesters based on naturally occurring l-tartaric acid amenable to facile post-polymer modification have been synthesized and characterized. The hydroxyl groups of the tartaric acid were protected and copolyesters were synthesized by taking different feed molar ratio of dimethyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene tartarate and dimethyl succinate with 1,6-hexanediol. Then, a series of copolyesters were synthesized by taking equal feed molar ratio of dimethyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene tartrate and dimethyl succinate or dimethyl adipate with different alkane diols. The acetal protecting groups were then selectively hydrolyzed to prepare a new series of copolyesters with pendant hydroxyl groups along the copolymer chain. The number average molecular weights (M (n)) of the copolymers were found to vary in the range of 3.7-8.4 x 10(3) g mol(-1). The hydroxy copolyesters show higher glass transition (T (g)) and melting (T (m)) temperatures as compared to isopropylidene copolyesters and the T (g) varies from -8.0 to -48.2 A degrees C depending on the feed ratio of the comonomers. The hydrolytic degradation studies of copolyesters revealed that hydroxyl copolyesters degrade faster than isopropylidene copolyesters.