The 1,4-bis (3,5-dimethyl-4-cyanatobenzyl) benzene (BBZCy) was synthesized successfully by the reaction of 1,4-bis (3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) benzene(BBZ) with cyanogen chloride in the presence of triethylamine at -5-0 degrees C. Its structure was confirmed by means of FTIR, elemental analysis, MS, and (1)H NMR spectra. The monomer of BBZCy was cured by itself or cured with catalysts to form sym-triazine structure. Thermal properties of cured BBZCy were studied using DSC, DMA, TMA, and TGA. Compared with the commercial bisphenol A dicyanate resin (BADCy), the cured BBZCy resin exhibited a lower dielectric constant (2.66 at 1 GHz), a lower dissipation factor (0.0054 at 1 GHz), lower water absorption (0.8% at 100 h), less thermal stability, and lower glass transition temperature. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 120: 3716-3723, 2011