novel adamantane-containing epoxy resin diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-adamantane (DGEBAda) was successfully synthesized from 1,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)adamantane by a one-step method. The proposed structure of the epoxy resin was confirmed with Fourier transform infrared, H-1-NMR, gel permeation chromatography, and epoxy equivalent weight titration. The synthesized adamantane-containing epoxy resin was cured with 4,4-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) and dicyandiamide (DICY). The thermal properties of the DDS-cured epoxy were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The dielectric properties of the DICY-cured epoxy were determined from its dielectric spectrum. The obtained results were compared with those of commercially available diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), a tetramethyl biphenol (TMBP)/epoxy system, and some other associated epoxy resins. According to the measured values, the glass-transition temperature of the DGEBAda/DDS system (223 degrees C) was higher than that of the DGEBA/DDS system and close to that of the TMBP/DDS system. TGA results showed that the DGEBAda/DDS system had a higher char yield (25.02%) and integral procedure decomposition temperature (850.7 degrees C); however, the 5 wt % degradation temperature was lower than that of DDS-cured DGEBA and TMBP. Moreover, DGEBAda/DDS had reduced moisture absorption and lower dielectric properties. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.