Simply stirring 2,6-dimethylphenol with a small amount of copper complex catalyst in alkaline water provided a green way to prepare poly(2 6-dimethyl-1.4-phenylene oxide) in water. We have searched for the optimum alkaline-resistant metal catalyst from a series of watersoluble copper complexes. The formed polymer was easily separated as an off-white powder by filtration after salting out. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.