The kinetics of the thermal cationic cure reaction of mixtures in different proportions of diglycidylether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with 6,6-dimethyl (4,8-dioxaspiro[2.5]octane-5,7-dione) (MCP) initiated by ytterbium or lanthanum triflates or using a conventional initiator, BF3 center dot MEA was investigated. The non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments at a controlled heating rate was used for obtaining the kinetic parameters of the reactive systems. BF3 center dot MEA and lanthanide triflates initiated curing systems follow a complete different kinetic model. Among lanthanide triflates, ytterbium is the most active initiator. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.