A star polymer was synthesized by addition of 1,4-diethynyl-2,5-dimethylbenzene as linking agent (30 degreesC, 24 h) after living polymerization of [(o-trifluoromethyl)phenyl] acetylene (o-CF(3)PA) with MOOCl4-n-Bu4Sn-EtOH catalyst (in anisole, 30 degreesC, 20 min; [Mo] = 10 mM, [P-*]/[Mo] = 40%, [o-CF(3)PA](0) = 200 mM). The M-n values of the living and star polymers were 8.1 x 10(3) and 5.3 x 10(4), respectively, according to gel permeation chromatography, while these values determined by multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) were 7.8 x 10(3) and 2.5 x 10(5). The Mw/M-n and arm number of the star polymer were 1.04 and 29, respectively, according to MALLS. The molecular weight and arm number of star polymer increased with increasing linking agent concentration and polymerization temperature. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.