1-methyl-4-vinylimidazole is a 5-membered aromatic compound which is being synthesized as a precursor to 1,3-dialkyl-4- and -5-vinylimidazolium salts. These salts are room temperature ionic liquids, or RTILs, which can be polymerized. Polymerizable RTILs are of interest because of their possible use as transducers (i.e. artificial muscles), and in membranes in electrochemical devices and fuel cells. An efficient synthesis of the monomer is essential in order to carry out the rest of the project. In 2002, Lovely and coworkers published a procedure for the regiospecific synthesis of 1-methyl-4-vinylimidazole. In this research Lovely's general procedure has been repeated and is being adapted to optimize reaction conditions, isolation, and purification procedures. The final results of this synthesis will be presented and described.