Novel ring-substituted tert-butyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2C(CH3)3, where R is 4-phenoxy, 3-iodo, 2,4-dimethoxy, 3,4-dimethoxy, 4-ethoxy-3-methoxy, 4-fluoro-3-methoxy, 4-hydoxy-3,5-dimethyl, 2,3,4-trimethoxy, 2,4,5-trimethoxy, were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The acrylates were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and tret-butyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. All the acrylates were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis.