<p>Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, alkyl ring-substituted 2-methoxyethyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO₂CH₂CH₂OCH₃(where R is H, 2-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methyl, 4-ethyl, 4-propyl, 4-<i>i</i>-propyl, 4-butyl, 4-<i>i</i>-butyl, 4-<i>t</i>-butyl) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The ethylenes were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and 2-methoxyethyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis.</p>