In this study, a dimethacrylates monomer 1,3-bis[2-(4-(2'-hydroxy-3'-methacryloyloxy-propoxy)phenyl)-2propyl]benzene (BMPB) was synthesized to replace 2,2-bis[4-(2'-hydroxy-3'-methacryloyloxy-propoxy)phenyl]propane (Bis-GMA) as one component of dental restorative material with the aim of reducing polymerization shrinkage and water sorption. The structure of BMPB was confirmed by FTIR, 1H-NMR, and elemental analysis. Double bond conversion, polymerization shrinkage, contact angle, water sorption, solubility, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of BMPB/tri(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) based resin were measured. Bis-GMA/TEGDMA based resin was used as reference. The results illustrated that double bond conversion, polymerization shrinkage, water sorption, and solubility of BMPB/TEGDMA were lower than that of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA (P < 0.05). BMPB/TEGDMA had the same flexural strength with Bis-GMA/TEGDMA (P > 0.05), but higher flexural modulus (P < 0.05). Therefore, BMPB could possibly replace Bis-GMA as one component of dental restorative materials with the advantages of similar mechanical properties, being slightly more hydrophobic but presenting less shrinkage. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012