Radical copolymerization of alpha-terpineol with styrene (Sty) initiated by azobisisobutyronitrile in xylene at 80 +/- 0.1 degreesC for 2 h followed ideal kinetics and resulted in the formation of a functional and alternating copolymer as evidenced by spectral analysis. The activation energy was 28 kJ/mol. alpha-Terpineol underwent copolymerization as well as a chain-transfer reaction. The values of the monomer reactivity ratios calculated by the Kelen-Tudos method were r(1) (Sty) = 0.033 and r(2) (alpha-terpineol) = 0.004. The Alfrey-Price Q-e parameters for alpha-terpineol were calculated as 0.104 and 3.052, respectively. The mechanism of copolymerization is elucidated, and it is concluded that the double bond present in the monocyclic ring of a-terpineol is an active site for copolymerization. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1700-1707, 2003.