Simplified syntheses of polymaleimide employing anionic polymerization (from the melt and from solution) and metal compound-alcohol initiators such as PbO, SnO, tin bis(2-ethyl hexanoate) in the presence of tert-butyl benzyl alcohol are presented. The resulting polymers contain a combination of C-N- and C-C-connected monomers. Preliminary structures of the polymers were determined using NMR spectroscopy. The ratio of C-N- and C-C-connected monomers was determined, and the percentage of C-N-connected monomer units was found to vary from 40 to 80%, with the higher percentage resulting from anionic polymerization. The molecular weights of the polymers, as determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with aqueous mobile phase and sodium polyacrylates standards, ranged between 1100 and 4200 for anionic polymerization and were about 11500 for metal oxide-alcohol initiated polymerization. Solution-phase properties of the polymaleimides were evaluated by calcium chelation and precipitation inhibition studies. On the basis of the measured properties of these polymers, they are proposed as biodegradable, low-impact detergent additives to substitute currently used compounds.