Water-soluble copolymers based on olefinic sulfonic acids, olefinic
dicarboxylic acids, vinyl amides and vinyl ethers and/or allyl ethers
and/or bisacryl derivatives are described as well as processes for their
production and the use of these copolymers as water retention agents,
thickeners or anti-segregation agents for aqueous building material
systems that contain hydraulic binding agents such as cement, lime,
gypsum, anhydrite etc. or for clay suspensions preferably based on
bentonite.