Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, halogen ring-trisubstituted butyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH HC(CN)CO 2 C 4 H 9 (where R is 3-bromo-4,5-dimethoxy, 5-bromo-2,4-dimethoxy, 2-bromo-3-hydroxy-4-methoxy, 3-chloro-2,6-difluoro, 4-chloro-2,6-difluoro, 2,3,5-trichloro, 2,3,6-trichloro, 2,4,5-trifluoro) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and butyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1 H and 13 C-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 and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1 H and 13 C-NMR. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200-500 C range with residue (3-5% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500-800 C range.