Linear copolymers of methylacrylate and styrene were prepared in ben.zene using AIBN as initiator. The linear copolymers were mercuriated by mercury (Ⅱ) trifluoroacetate in THF solution and purified by reprecipitating in distilled water from the THF solution. The mercuriated soluble copolymers loading mercury (Ⅱ) were charaterized by IR
NMR and atomic absorption analysis and the result indicated that the mercury reagent substituted the protons of the phenyl residues and had no reaction with the esther residues under the condition of mercuriation.