The kinetics of dispersed phase polymerization of a highly water-insoluble monomer (isooctyl acrylate) were explored in emulsion, miniemulsion, and micro-suspension polymerization. The effects of monomer water solubility and choice of initiator (oil- vs. water-soluble) strongly impact the final product (particle size and molecular weight distribution). For emulsion polymerization, as the surfactant concentration was increased, there was a transition from homogenous to micellar nucleation near the CMC, then a drop in nucleation rate at high surfactant concentration due to insufficient radical flux to support more nucleation. For miniemulsion polymerization, a slow rate of growth of (droplet) nucleation with surfactant concentration was found, followed (at the CMC) by an increase in the rate of nucleation with added surfactant as the mode of nucleation switched to micellar. The conversion-time kinetics of microsuspensions could be modeled with a bulk polymerization model. IOA is sufficiently insoluble in the aqueous phase that emulsion polymerization may or may not be reaction limited. The presence of a stabilizer such a PAA, the use of an oil-soluble initiator such as BPO, and the insolubility of IOA in the aqueous phase all push the polymerization locus toward droplet (microsuspension) nucleation and bulk kinetics. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.