[reaction: see text] Polymerizable beta-diketones for application to metal ion coordination have been prepared and characterized. Bromine-substituted beta-diketones were synthesized under Claisen-Schmidt-type condensation conditions. Vinyl groups were substituted for the halide by one of two types of Heck coupling with high-pressure ethylene. The type of Heck coupling employed was dictated by the thermal sensitivity of the substrate. Seven vinyl-substituted beta-diketones were synthesized, including several new ones, by this method. The beta-diketones were characterized by GC-MS, FT-NMR, FT-IR, and microanalysis.