Vinyl ester resins possess unsaturated terminal groups and are based on polyphenols of the formulaC(ArOH).sub.m (R').sub.p --(CR.sub.2).sub.n --C(ArOH).sub.m (R").sub.p (I)or(ArOH)--CH.sub.2 --Ar--CH.sub.2 --[(ArOH)--CH.sub.2 --Ar--CH.sub.2 ].sub.n --(ArOH) (II)wherein R, R' and R" may be identical or different and are each H or CH.sub.3, Ar is phenylene which is unsubstituted or substituted by methyl or methoxy, n is 0, 1 or 2, m is 1 or 2 and p is 3-m.