Bis(4-cyanato-3,5-dimethylphenyl)anisylmethane was prepared by treating CNBr with bis(4-hydroxy3,5-dimethylphenyl)anisylmethane and blended with commercial epoxy resin in different ratios and cured at 120 degrees C for 2 h, 180 degrees C for 1 h, and postcured at 220 degrees C for 1 h using diamino diphenyl methane as curing agent. Castings of neat resin and blends were prepared and characterized. The composite laminates were also fabricated with glass fiber using the same composition. The tensile strength of the composites increased with increase in cyanate content (3, 6, and 9%) from 322 to 355 MPa. The fracture toughness values also increased from 0.7671 kJ/m(2), for neat epoxy resin, to 0.8615 kJ/m(2), for 9% cyanate ester-modified epoxy system. The 10% weight loss temperature of pure epoxy (358 degrees C was increased to 390 degrees C by the incorporation of cyanate ester resin. The incorporation of cyanate ester up to 9% in the epoxy resin increases the T-g from 143 to 147 degrees C. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 112: 2579-2587, 2009