A series of four phosphonated-bearing allyl monomers, that is, diethyl-1-allylphosphonate (AP), dimethyl-1-allyloxymethylphosphonate (AOP), 5-ethyl-5-(allyloxymethyl)-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane (AEDPH), and 2-benzyl-5-ethyl-5-(allyloxymethyl)-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane (AEDPBn) were synthesized. These monomers were then copolymerized by free radical polymerization in the presence of maleic anhydride, thus leading to alternated copolymers with phosphonate moieties. It was shown that both monomer conversion and reaction rate were dependent on the phosphonate moieties carried out by the allyl monomer: the bulkier the phosphonate group, the higher the polymerization rate. Thermogravimetric analysis of the copolymers revealed a high content of residue, also varying with the nature of the phosphonate moieties. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: PolymChem 49: 3905-3910, 2011