The invention provides lactamic polymers comprising an acetoacetate moiety. The lactamic polymers may be readily functionalized and the functionalized lactamic polymers may be further derivatized to provide a wide variety of useful polymers having desirable chemical and physical properties. The lactamic polymers of the invention may be employed in a wide variety of compositions. (A); (B) wherein R1-R6, w, x, y, z, and n are described herein.