4-Methoxyphenyl oxazoline (MPO) was synthesized from 4-methoxybenzonitrile and ethanolamine by using cadmium acetate as a catalyst. 4-Allyloxy phenyl oxazoline (APO) was synthesized from 4-allyloxybenzonitrile, which was made from 4-cyanophenol. A series of random copolymers of APO and MPO over the whole composition range, with an approximate degree of polymerization of 100, were synthesized. They are named as PAM(m/n), where m and n are the total number of APO and MPO monomer units. All the polymers are crystalline and show birefringence. Their melting points decrease with the increase of mole fraction of MPO, from 240°C for PAM(100/0) to 199°C for PAM(20/80), and then increase to 226°C for PAM(0/100). We reacted mercaptoacetic acid with the PAM(m/n) copolymers to generate polar groups that could strongly bond with metal surfaces. They are named as PAM(m/n)-SCH2COOH, which correspond to their starting PAM(m/n) copolymers. They were characterized by NMR, DSC, hot stage melting, water contact angle, peel strength measurements, and some preliminary anticorrosion tests on cold-rolled steel, electrogalvanized steel, and Zi/Ni electroplated steel. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.