| Abstract: | A synthesis procedure for and characterization of a tetra‐ortho‐methyl substituted three‐ringed cyanate ester monomer, 4,4′‐[1,3‐phenylenebis(1‐methylethylidene)]bis[2,6‐dimethyl]phenylcyanato, and the corresponding cured resin are described with comparative characterization of the resin analogue without the ortho‐methyl substitutents. The othro‐methylation lowered the dielectric from 2.64 to 2.59 at 1 GHz and from 2.64 to 2.48 GHz at 15 GHz, whereas the tan δ was not significantly affected. Other physical properties also affected included a 40 °C decrease in the glass‐transition temperature, an increase in the thermal‐expansion coefficients, and a reduction in thermogravimetric stability. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 60–67, 2003 |
