Poly [2-(methlacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine](PMPC) with one pendant tocopheryl moiety at the polymer terminus (PMPC-Toco) was prepared by the radical polymerization of 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) initiated with 4,4'-azobis[(3-tocopheryl)-4-cyanopentanoate] in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol as a chain transfer reagent. The self-organization of PMPC-Toco was analyzed with fluorescence and H-1-NMR measurements. The critical micelle concentrations of PMPC-Toco with [eta] = 0.25, 0.13, 0.1.0, and 0.05 dL g(-1) were found to be 200, 100, 100, and 90 mg L-1, respectively. The blood compatibility of PMPC-Toco was evaluated from the Michaelis constant (K for the enzymatic reaction of thrombin and a synthetic substrate, S-2238, in the presence of PMPC-Toco. The K values were 0.21, 0.23, 0.36, and 0.21 for PMPC-Toco-1, 2, 3, and PMPC ([eta] = 0.56 dL g(-1)), respectively. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 113: 959-965, 2009