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p-(2,2,3,3-Tetracyanocyclopropyl)phenoxyethyl acrylate (5a) and p-(2,2,3-tetracyanocyclopropyl)phenoxyethyl methacrylate (5b) were prepared by the reactions of bromomalononitrile with p-(2-acryloyloxyethoxy)benzylidenemalononitrile and p-(2-methacryloyloxyethoxy)benzylidenemalononitrile, respectively. Monomers 5a and 5b were polymerized with free-radical initiators to obtain polymers with multicyanocyclopropane functionalities in the pendant group. The resulting polymers were soluble in acetone, and the inherent viscosities were 0.25–0.30 dL/g. Solution-cast films showed thermal stability up to 300 °C with glass-transition temperatures of 140–156 °C. The dipole moments of 5a and 5b, calculated by the atom superposition and electron delocalization molecular orbital method, were 7.58–7.30 D. Piezoelectric coefficients (d31) of the poled polymer films were 1.8–1.9 pC/N, acceptable values for piezoelectric device applications. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 379–384, 2002