The homopolymerization of maleic anhydride was attempted at 190 degrees C, during the melt-functionalization of polypropylene, either with or without organic peroxide using a Brabender plastograph. The free radical homopolymerization of pure maleic anhydride was also attempted either with or without organic peroxide, at 190 degrees C, in vacuum-sealed glass vials. In all cases, free low molecular weight maleic anhydride oligomers were observed by low molecular weight size exclusion chromatography (SEC). This maleic anhydride homopolymerization tends to prove that the ceiling temperature of poly(maleic anhydride) probably lies above the previously published value of 160 degrees C for these specific experimental conditions.