Terpolymers bearing terpyridine as well as (meth)acrylates as free radical curable groups (UV-curing) or hydroxyl groups (thermal curing with bis-isocyanates) were synthesized and characterized using H-1 NMR, IR and UV-vis spectroscopy as well as GPC. Subsequently, the ability of covalent crosslinking via the UV-initiated polymerization of the acrylate groups was investigated. Moreover, the thermal covalent crosslinking via the reaction of hydroxyl functionalized terpolymer and bis-isocyanate compounds could be successfully achieved. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.