The synthesis of a number of new methacrylate esters containing aryl-oxycarbonyl group are described. The monomers produced from the reaction of corresponding aryl-oxycarbonyl methylchlorides with sodium methacrylate, were polymerized in 1,4-dioxane with AIBN as an initiator at 60 degrees C. The monomers and their polymers were characterized by IR, H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. The glass transition temperature and thermal decomposition temperature of the polymers were investigated by DSC-50 and TGA-50 thermobalance, respectively. The activation energies of these polymers of thermal decomposition were evaluated by using the MHRK method. The molecular weights ((M) over bar (w) and (M) over bar (n)) of the polymers were determined by the GPC technique. The photochemical properties of the polymers were also examined: (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.