The macroreticular copolymer beads (RCS-4G) were prepared by suspension copolymerization of chloromethylstyrene (CS) and tetraethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (4G) in water, using cyclohexane as a diluent. Then, the copolymer beads carrying phenolic derivatives immobilized via amide, methylene, or ether bond were prepared by subsequent reactions of RCS-4G with various phenolic derivatives. The radical scavenging activity against 2,2-Diphenypicrylhydrazil (DPPH) of the copolymer beads carrying phenolic derivatives immobilized was investigated in toluene. It was found that the copolymer beads had high radical scavenging activity against DPPH. The order of the radical scavenging activity against DPPH of the copolymer beads carrying phenolic derivatives immobilized did not coincide with the order of inhibition activity against the generation of 1,4-dioxane hydroperoxide. The radical scavenging activity against DPPH of the copolymer beads having phenolic derivatives immobilized via methylene bond or ether bond was higher than that of the copolymer beads having phenolic derivatives immobilized via amide bond. It was found that the radical scavenging activity of the copolymer beads having phenolic derivatives was affected by not only the kind of phenolic derivatives immobilized and bond groups through which phenolic compounds were immobilized, but also the swelling ratio of the copolymer beads in toluene. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.