Organic solvent-soluble polymers containing different functional groups able to coordinate metal ions from low concentration were synthesized to build complexing polymer film modified electrodes. Poly(acetamide acrylic acid-co-styrene) and poly(itaconic acid-co-styrene) were synthesized by radical polymerization. The copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared and H-1 NMR spectroscopy, electron scanning microscopy, and thermal analysis. The molecular weight and molecular weight distribution were determined by size exclusion chromatography. These complexing polymers have been used in the preparation of complexing modified electrodes (CME) by spin coating. The CME have been tested for the detection of metal ions using the chemical preconcentration-anodic stripping technique. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.