The synthesis of cationic flocculants by inverse microemulsion copolymerization of acrylamide and [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]-trimethylammonium chloride in continuous reactors (single CSTR and two CSTRs in series) was investigated. It was found that the particular microstructure of the polymers strongly depended on the process. The polymer synthesized in two CSTRs in series presented the best performance as flocculant because it contained both short (polymer produced in the second reactor) and branched long (polymer produced in the first reactor) polymer chains. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.