A method of preparing a phenolic polymer comprising: a) protecting at least one hydroxyl group of a substituted or unsubstituted phenol represented by Structural Formula (XXIX), wherein: R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.14 and R.sub.15 are independently --H, --OH, --NH, --SH, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl or aryloxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group or a saturated or unsaturated carboxylic acid group; or R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.14 or R.sub.15, in conjunction with an adjacent R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.14 or R.sub.15, forms a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene dioxy group; provided that at least one of R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.14 or R.sub.15 is a tert-butyl group 1-ethenyl-2-carboxylic acid or ester thereof, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene dioxy group or a substituted or unsubstituted n-alkoxycarbonyl group, at least one of R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.14 or R.sub.15 is a hydroxyl group, and at least one of R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.14 and R.sub.15 is --H; with a protecting group, wherein thereby obtaining one or more protected hydroxyl groups; and b) polymerizing the substituted or unsubstituted phenol, thereby obtaining the phenolic polymer.