Low-molecular-weight poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) was prepared by the redistribution of regular PPO with 4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol (bisphenol A) with benzoyl peroxide as an initiator in toluene. The redistributed PPO was characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectra, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The redistributed PPO oligomers with terminal phenolic hydroxyl groups and low molecular weights (weight-average molecular weight = 800-4000) were used in the modification of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A/4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane network system. The curing behaviors were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effect of molecular weight and the amount of redistributed PPO oligomers incorporated into the network on the physical properties of the resulting systems were investigated. The thermal properties of the cured redistributed PPO/epoxy resins were studied by dynamic mechanical analysis, thermal mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and dielectric analysis. These cured redistributed PPO/epoxy resins exhibited lower dielectric constants, dissipation factors, coefficients of thermal expansion, and moisture absorptions than those of the control diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A based epoxy. The effects of the composition on the glass-transition temperature and thermal stability are discussed. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.