Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of styrene was carried out in the presence of a novel RAFT reagent, bearing 1,3-benzodioxole group, benzo [1,3]dioxole-5-carbodithioic acid benzo [1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl ester (BDCB), to prepare end-functionalized polystyrene. The polymerization results showed that RAFT polymerization of styrene could be well controlled. Number-average molecular weight (M-n(GPC)) increased linearly with monomer conversion, and molecular weight distributions were narrow (M-w/M-n < 1.4). The successful reaction of chain extension and analysis of H-1 NMR spectra confirmed the existence of the functional 1,3-benzodioxole group at the chain-end of polystyrene. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, inc.