In the present paper the synthesis of three novel water soluble copolymers with benzil pendant groups are described. The new polymers have been prepared by copolymerization of the obtained benzil acrylate, 1-phenyl-2[4-(2-methacroyloxyethoxy)phenyl]ethandione-1,2 (MBz) with three water soluble comonomers : acrylamide, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulphonic acid and 2-acryloxyethyl trimethylamonio iodine. The absorption, luminescence, photoreduction and microsecond flash photolysis characteristics of the new copolymers were examined in water and methanol and the results compared to the corresponding low molecular weight compound. The photoinduced polymerization activities of the new products have been determined by photodilatometry in the presence of a tertiary amine. The copolymers exhibit polymerization rates and quantum yields similar to those of the low molecular weight model compounds.