The synthesis of new porous copolymers for chromatography purposes is presented. They are formed during the suspension and emulsion polymerization of methacrylate derivatives of bisphenol-S with divinylbenzene in the presence of the pore-forming diluent. One type of the obtained copolymers contains sulfonyl functional groups in its skeleton and the second sulfonyl and more polar hydroxyl groups. Chemical and porous structures of the obtained polymeric packings were studied. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.