AbstractThe kinetics of hydrolysis and alcoholysis of poly(methacryloyl chloride) (PMC) in homogeneous acetone‐water systems has been studied. First order rate constants and activation energies of the reaction were calculated. It was found that the rate constants of hydrolysis and alcoholysis of the side groups in PMC were considerably lower than those in low molecular weight compounds. Higher rate constants were also observed in the case of hydrolysis of poly(acryloyl chloride). The activation energies found were low, which in comparison with other results indicates the effect of polymer flexibility and diffusion processes on the reaction under investigatio