A series of tertiary dithiobenzoates differently substituted on the phenyl group (Z) were synthesized in order to investigate the RAFT-mediated polymerization of MMA. The chain-transfer agent 2-cyanoprop-2-yl dithiobenzoate, although an excellent RAFT agent for polymerization of MMA, does not yield a very narrow polydispersed polymer at low conversion. The introduction of electron-withdrawing substituents on the dithiobenzoate aromatic ring improves the activity of the chain-transfer agent narrowing the molecular weight distribution, especially in the first 2 h of the process; conversely, electron-donating substituents deteriorate the performance of the process in the early stages. Substituents on the dithiobenzoate that, for reasons of steric hindrance reduce the conjugation of the phenyl with the CS double bond of the dithiogroup, diminish the effectiveness of the chain-transfer agent. The nature of the leaving group (R) also has a strong influence on the process: the substitution of 2-cyanoprop-2-yl w...