A model acrylic adhesive formulation consisting of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TRIEGMA) monomer, cumene hydroperoxide (CHP), o-benzoic sulfimide (saccharin or BS) and with or without a metal dithiolate catalyst has been made to study kinetics and mechanism of the anaerobic polymerization. In these studies, a real-time FT-IR spectroscopic (RT/FF-IR) technique has been used to study anaerobic cure profiles at room temperature. The catalytic effect of several transition metal dithio complexes for redox-initiated acrylate polymerization has been studied. The dithiolates used in these studies include the dithiocarbamate, xanthate dithiophosphate complexes of copper, nickel and zinc systems. Copper diacetylacetonate was also studied for comparison of its catalytic reactivity. A synergistic effect of copper dithiolate catalyst and saccharin was observed. The effects of catalyst concentration, metal and ligand type, and co-initiator on cure profiles have been monitored in a real-time mode.