The novel dicyanate ester resin containing the naphthalene ring (DNCY) was synthesized from 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene and cyanogen bromide by two-step method. The monomer of DNCY was characterized by FIF-IR, H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR and elemental analyses (EA). The cure behavior of DNCY was studied by means of nonisothermal DSC, and the kinetics parameters were determined by the Kissinger method. The thermal properties of DNCY resin were studied by thermal degradation analysis at a heating rate of 10 degreesC min(-1) both in N-2 (thermal stability) and in air (thermal-oxidative stability). The DNCY resin showed excellent thermal stability, compared with that of bisphenol A dicyanate (BACY) resin, which could be demonstrated by the extensional onset temperature (435.8 degreesC), the temperature of maximum weight loss rate (450.3 degreesC) and the percentage char yields at 700 degreesC (60.5%) in N2, and thermal-oxidative stability, which could be demonstrated by the extensional onset temperature (435.4 degreesC), the first temperature of maximum weight loss rate (450.7 degreesC), the second temperature of maximum weight loss rate (580.0 degreesC) and the temperature of complete degradation (704.4 degreesC) in air. The DNCY resin exhibited higher T-g and thermal degradation temperature than BACY resin. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd.