Abstract: A method for the accelerated free radical copolymerization of acrylamide monomers and diacetone acrylamide monomers in an aqueous solution to form copolymers which may be combined with photosensitizers and utilized in the color picture tube or photoengraving industries as a polymeric component of the light sensitive photoresists comprises admixing an aqueous acrylamide and diacetone acrylamide monomer solution with an effective amount of a free radical initiator and an effective amount of a tetramethylamine catalyst to form a mixture and maintaining the mixture at ambient temperature until the polymerization is complete. A 0.1 to 15% weight solution of the two monomers having an acrylamide to diacetone acrylamide weight ratio of between about 0.4:1 to 100:1 is completely polymerized in less than an hour when the weight ratio of free radical initiator to monomers is between about 1:6 to 1:300 and the weight ratio of tetramethylamine catalyst to monomers is about 1:20 and 1:400.