The porogens used in the polymerization play important roles in the structure and adsorption performance for the polar-modified post-cross-linked resins. A series of novel polar-modified post-cross linked resins were prepared using different mass percentage of toluene and 3-methyl-1-butanol as the mixed porogens. The results indicated that the resins using a higher mass percentage of toluene in the mixed porogens possessed a higher content of pendent vinyl groups, the greater Brunauer-Emmett-Te her (BET) surface area and t-plot micropore surface area. What's more, the Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction induced a higher increment of the BET surface area and t-plot micropore surface area before and after the post-cross-linking. The resin p(GMA-co-DVB)-22-pc using 50% (w/w) of toluene and 50% (w/w) of 3 methyl-1-butanol in the mixed porogens held the largest equilibrium capacity to phenol among the four considered resins. The equilibrium data was well characterized by the Freundlich model and the isosteric enthalpy decreased dramatically with increasing of the fractional loading. The resin using a lower mass percentage of toluene in the mixed porogens required less time to reach equilibrium because of its less micropores and the minor diffusion resistance in the pores. p(GMA-co-DVB)-22-pc exhibited a dynamic saturated capacity of 55.4 mg/mL wet resin at an initial concentration of 1250 mg/L and a flow rate of 1.4 mL/min, and it could be completely regenerated by 0.001 mol/L of sodium hydroxide (w/v) and 80% of ethanol (v/v). (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.