The functional monomer, N-phenyl methacrylamide (PMA), was synthesized by reacting methacryloyl chloride with aniline. Free-radical solution copolymerization of PMA and acrylamide (AA) in various feed ratios was synthesized by using benzoyl peroxide initiator in N,N-dimethylformamide at 70 degrees C. Copolymer structure was elucidated by infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The copolymer composition was determined from the corresponding H-1 NMR spectra of the copolymers. Finemann-Ross and Kelen-Tudos methods were used to determine the reactivity ratios of the monomers. Thermal characterization of the copolymers was carried out using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Thermal stability of the copolymers increases with the increase of PMA content in the copolymer. (C) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.