A new epoxy resin derived from Meldrum acid (DGMA) was synthesized by a two steps synthetic procedure and structurally characterized by the usual spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. Ytterbium and lanthanum triflates were tested as cationic initiators to cure this resin and its mixtures with diglycidylether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) in several proportions. By FTIR-ATR spectroscopy the evolution of the groups, which participate in the curing was followed. The evolution of the curing and the T, of the materials were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and the kinetic parameters were calculated applying isoconversional procedures. Ytterbium triflate led to a quicker curing than lanthanum. The thermal stability of the materials obtained was evaluated by thermogravimetry and the higher thermal degradability of the materials containing DGMA was confirmed. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.