A new bis-alpha-hydrogen nitroxide based initiator for use in nitroxide-mediated free radical polymerization (NMRP) has been synthesized and is demonstrated to effect controlled polymerizations. The bisnitroxide forms "living" systems; the resulting polymers are formed with low polydispersities. The addition of a second block is facile, forming symmetrical ABA triblock copolymers. Monomer addition occurs at the center of the living polymer. This "outside-in" strategy overcomes previous restrictions in sequence specificity encountered in preparing ABA triblock copolymers using NMRP by the more traditional, complementary "inside-out" bidirectional nitroxide initiators.