Ethoxyethyl alpha-cyanoacrylate was synthesized by first making oligo(ethoxyethyl alpha-cyanoacrylate) through a condensation reaction of ethoxyethyl cyanoacetate with paraformaldehyde, followed by a depolymerization of the oligomer at an elevated temperature in an acidic atmosphere with a high vacuum. The ethoxyethyl cyanoacetate was in turn synthesized from an esterification of ethoxyethanol and cyanoacetic acid. The molecular structure of the target monomer and the corresponding intermediates were corroborated by IR and H-1-NMR. Solvents having a lower polarity led to the formation of oligomers having higher molecular weights. The molecular weight distribution of the oligomer revealed that the reaction of ethoxyethyl cyanoacetate with formaldehyde followed a mechanism comprising monomer activations, anionic reactions, and chain scissions. DSC thermograms demonstrated the cured ethoxyethyl alpha-cyanoacrylate was nearly amorphous, containing little or low crystallinity. Mechanical testing data indicated that the cured ethoxyethyl alpha-cyanoacrylate was a hard adhesive with higher toughness than the conventional ethyl alpha-cyanoacrylate. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.