Polylactone Polymers Prepared from Monol and Diol Polymerization Initiators Processing Two or More Carboxylic Acid Groups

A substantially linear aliphatic absorbable polyester comprising a monovalent unit of formula I:

• —O—CH2—R1 I
• and divalent repeating units selected from the group of formulae consisting of:
• [—O—CH2—C(O)—]a II
• [—O—C(H)(CH3)—C(O)—]b III
• [—O—CH2CH2—O—CH2CH2—C(O)—]c IV
• [—O—CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2—C(O)—]d V
• [—O—CH2CH2CH2—O—C(O)—]e VI
• and combinations thereof, wherein R1 is an alkyl group containing two or more carboxylic acid groups, and a, b, c, d, and e are integers such that a weight average molecular weight of said substantially linear aliphatic absorbable polyester is between about 35,000 Daltons and 200,000 Daltons.

A substantially linear aliphatic absorbable polyester comprising a first divalent unit of formula IA:

• [—O—C(R2)(R3)—R4—CH2—O—] IA
• and divalent repeating units selected from the group of formulae consisting of:
• [—O—CH2—C(O)—]a IIA
• [—O—C(H)(CH3)—C(O)—]b IIIA
• [—O—CH2CH2—O—CH2CH2—C(O)—]c IVA
• [—O—CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2—C(O)—]d VA
• [—O—CH2CH2CH2—O—C(O)—]e VIA
• and combinations thereof, wherein R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen or an alkyl group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R4 is an alkyl group containing two or more carboxylic acid groups, and a, b, c, d, and e are integers such that a weight average molecular weight of said substantially linear aliphatic absorbable polyester is between about 35,000 Daltons and 200,000 Daltons.