Abstract
1,1,1‐Tris[4‐(2′‐hydroxy‐3′‐methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]ethane (THMPE) and tris[4‐(2′‐hydroxy‐3′‐methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]methane (THMPM) were synthesized and evaluated as base monomers in a dental composite system. The photopolymerization reactivity of the trifunctional methacrylates was similar to that of conventional 2,2‐bis[4‐(2′‐hydroxy‐3′‐methacryloyloxy‐propoxy)phenyl]propane (bis‐GMA). Of the three monomers (THMPE, THMPM, and bis‐GMA), THMPE has the greatest molecular volume, and its composite showed the lowest photopolymerization shrinkage of the composites derived from the three monomers. The water‐solubility values for the light‐activated composite resins formulated with THMPE and THMPM were much lower than that for a control bis‐GMA composite. The trimethacrylates were not leached out into water from their corresponding photo‐cured composites whereas the difunctional bis‐GMA was eluted from its composite. The water sorption and flexural strength of the composite resins based on THMPE and THMPM were comparable to those of the bis‐GMA composite. THMPE is promising for application as a photocurable dental monomer because of its good polymerization reactivity along with relatively low curing shrinkage and water‐solubility of its photo‐cured composite. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 62: 622–627, 2002