Two new bismethacrylamide (1, 2) and two new methacrylamide (3, 4) dental monomers were synthesized. In each group, one monomer contains a bisphosphonate group, the other a bisphosphonic acid group. Monomer 1 and 3 were synthesized by amidation of 2-(2-chlorocarbonyl-allyloxymethyl)-acryloylchloride and methacryloyl chloride with tetraethyl aminomethyl-bis(phosphonate) and converted to the bisphosphonic acid monomers 2 and 4 by hydrolysis with trimethylsilyl bromide. Monomer 1 (m.p.: 71-72 degrees C), monomer 3 (33-34 degrees C), and monomer 4 (no m.p.) were obtained as white solids and monomer 2 a viscous liquid, soluble in water. Homopolymerization of 1 gave crosslinked polymers, indicating its low cyclization tendency. The photopolymerization studies indicated that its copolymerizability with 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxy propyloxy) phenyl] propane and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) without changing their rates and conversions significantly means that it could be used as a biocompatible crosslinker. Although monomer 2 showed low polymerizability, because of its good performance in terms of solubility, hydrolytic stability, hydroxyapatite interaction, acidity, and copolymerizability with HEMA, it shows potential to be used in self-etching dental adhesives. The thermal polymerization of 3 resulted in soluble polymers and evaluation of monomer 4 in terms of solubility, acidity, and copolymerizability with HEMA indicated its potential as an adhesive monomer. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 50: 4854-4863, 2012