A new monomer, 1-vinyl-3-cyanomethylimidazolium chloride (1), was synthesized via quaternization of 1-vinylimidazole with chloroacetonitrile. The monomer was characterized using H-1-and C-13-NMR as well as Raman spectroscopic techniques; its crystal structure was studied by means of X-ray analysis. The radical polymerization of I in aqueous solution brought about the formation of a polyelectrolyte that retains cyano groups intact and possesses film-forming properties. The structure of the polymer was characterized by NMR and Raman spectroscopy. The high viscosity of aqueous solutions and chemical structure of the polymer obtained suggest its possible applications as a thickener and/or detergent additive.