A tetrahydrofuran (THF)-containing network polymer was prepared by the radical suspension copolymerization of a styrene (St)-type monomer with THF moiety, St, p-chloromethylstyrene, and divinylbenzene in a biphasic medium consisting of water and monochlorobenzene in the presence of acacia gum as a suspension stabilizer. The diameters of the obtained polymer beads ranged from 100 to 200 mum. The obtained network polymer showed higher swelling abilities in various organic solvents than a similarly prepared network polymer without THF moiety, and it was stable under oxidative, reductive, and basic conditions. In its derivations to polystyrene-based resins with thioether alcohol and hydroxyl moiety, remarkable accelerations of reactions were observed as a result of the introduction of THF moiety. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.