Phenyl urea derivatives have been prepared and investigated as photostabilizers for rigid PVC by measuring the extent of weight loss (%), the amount of gel formation as well as the intrinsic viscosity of the soluble fractions of the degraded polymer. Moreover, the efficiency of these stabilizers was evaluated from the extent of discoloration of the degraded polymer in their presence. The results indicated a reasonable stabilizing effect of these derivatives when compared with the commercially used UV stabilizers: phenyl salicylate (Salol) and methanone, 2-hydroxy-4-(octyloxy)-phenyl-benzophenone. A synergistic effect is achieved when the phenyl urea derivatives are mixed with the UV absorbers in the ratio (75 : 25%), respectively. A radical mechanism is proposed to account for the stabilizing action of the products investigated. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 2217-2226, 2007