Highly Functionalized Macromolecules Based on Free Radical Polymerization of Substituted Stilbene Monomers S. Richard Turner, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University We prepared several methyl substituted (E)-stilbene monomers and copolymerized them with maleic anhydride. Significant difference in the rates of polymerization with maleic anhydride indicates the methyl substituents can change: reactivity of stilbene by changing the resonance stability of the propagating radical steric hindrance in the propagation step Size exclusion chromatography traces for poly((E)-4-methylstilbene-alt-maleic anhydride) exhibited bimodal peaks. Dynamic light scattering analysis confirmed the formation of interchain aggregates. We are investigating origin and scope of this aggregation phenomenon in the stilbene system. Stilbene: R1=H, R2=H, R3=H 2,2’-Dimethylstilbene: R1, R2=Me, R3=H 2-Methylstilbene: R1=Me, R2=H, R3=H 4-Methylstilbene: R1=H, R2=H, R3=Me We are preparing a group of novel rigid polyelectrolytes with tunable charges and charge densities by using different combinations of the donor-acceptor comonomer pairs. One of the polyanion precursors we have prepared is poly(di-t-butyl-trans-4,4’-stilbenedicarboxylate-co-t-butyl-4-maleimidobenzoate).