AbstractA soluble and self‐crosslinkable linear copolymer with pendant epoxy and pyridyl groups was obtained from glycidyl methacrylate (M1) and 2‐vinylpyridine (M2) or 2‐vinyl‐5‐ethylpyridine (M2) by the action of azobisisobutyronitrile. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined in tetrahydrofuran at 60°C:r1= 0.510,r2= 0.620 with 2‐vinylpyridine andr1= 0.57,r2= 0.62 with 2‐vinyl‐5‐ethylpyridine. These were consistent with the calculated values with the reportedQandevalues for these monomers. The intrinsic viscosities of the copolymers with 2‐vinylpyridine and with 2‐vinyl‐5‐ethylpyridine were found to be 0.17–0.19 and 0.26–0.38, respectively, in tetrahydrofuran at 30°C; they were independent of the copolymer composition. The copolymers were amorphous, had no clear melting points, and became insoluble crosslinked polymers under heating without furthe