New methacrylate monomers having a pendant photocrosslinkable bromo-substituted cinnamoyl group were synthesized by reacting corresponding hydroxy chalcones with methacryloyl chloride. These monomers were homopolymerized in ethyl methyl ketone solution using benzoyl peroxide as a free radical initiator at 70 degreesC. The resulting polymers were characterized by UV. Fourier transform infrared, H-1-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and C-13-NMR spectroscopy as well as by size-exclusion chromatography. Thermal properties of the photoreactive polymers were assessed by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The photocrosslinking properties of the polymers were investigated in various solvents in the presence and absence of photosensitizers. The influence of solvent nature and concentration on the rate of photocrosslinking of the newly synthesized polymers were studied for using the latter as negative photoresist materials. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.