A novel chiral monomer, benzyl α‐[(1‐phenylethoxy)methyl]acrylate was synthesized, and the stereoregularity and chiroptical property of the polymers obtained by radical and anionic polymerizations were investigated. Anionic polymerization in toluene provided a polymer with high isotacticity regardless of optical purity of the monomer and difference of counter cations, Li+ and Mg2+, while radical polymerization appears to yield an atactic polymer. The isotactic copolymers anionically obtained from a mixture of (R)‐ and (S)‐monomers showed peak splitting probably due to the triad arrangement of (R) and (S) groups of side chains in the resonance of 13C‐NMR spectra. The isotactic polymer prepared from enantiomerically pure (R)‐monomer ([α] 25 365 = +157°) with n‐BuLi in toluene exhibited higher specific rotation ([α] 25 365 = +262°) than that of the radical polymer ([α] 25 365 = +162°). This may be explained by regular arrangement of optically active groups along the polymer chain of the isotactic polymer. Chirality 10:711–716, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.