Monodisperse poly(chloromethylstyrene‐co‐divinylbenzene‐80) microspheres of 4–6‐µm diameter were prepared by precipitation copolymerization in neat acetonitrile and in acetonitrile/toluene mixtures. These particles have clean surfaces due to the absence of any added stabilizer and up to 0.5 cm³/g pore volume, depending on the comonomer ratio and on the amount of toluene cosolvent. The effects of comonomer and cosolvent ratios on microsphere formation and morphology are described. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2295–2303, 1999