By using meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid-cerium (I V) sulfate and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid-potassium permanganate redox systems, the polymerization reaction of acrylamide (AAm) monomer was examined in aqueous acidic medium at low temperatures. Water-soluble polyacrylamides bearing meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid end groups were synthesized using meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid as a reducing agent. The effects of parameters such as the molar ratio of acrylamide to initiator, temperature, polymerization time, and sulfuric acid concentration on the yields and molecular weights of polymers were investigated. The augmentation in initiator concentration resulted in a decrease in molecular weight but an increase in the yield of polymers. The increase in reaction temperature from 20 to 60 C led to a decrease in the yield from 56.80% to 20.58%. Ce(IV) and Mn(VII) ions are reduced to Ce(III) and Mn(II) ions in the polymerization reaction and the synthesized acrylamide polymers containing meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid end groups can absorb these ions at the end of the polymerization reaction. Ultraviolet-visible and atomic absorption measurements of polymer solutions were performed to indicate complexation between polyacrylamide and Ce(III) ions or Mn(II) ions. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 29: 45-53, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOT 10.1002/adv.20180